Transform coefficient coding

ABSTRACT

An idea used herein is to use the same function for the dependency of the context and the dependency of the symbolization parameter on previously coded/decoded transform coefficients. Using the same function—with varying function parameter—may even be used with respect to different transform block sizes and/or frequency portions of the transform blocks in case of the transform coefficients being spatially arranged in transform blocks. A further variant of this idea is to use the same function for the dependency of a symbolization parameter on previously coded/decoded transform coefficients for different sizes of the current transform coefficient&#39;s transform block, different information component types of the current transform coefficient&#39;s transform block and/or different frequency portions the current transform coefficient is located within the transform block.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/745,696 filed Jan. 17, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/522,884 filed Jul. 26, 2019, now U.S.Pat. No. 10,582,219, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/285,761 filed Feb. 26, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,462,487,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/948,085filed Apr. 9, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,271,068, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/621,702 filed Jun.13, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,045,049, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/335,439 filed Jul. 18, 2014, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,712,844, which is a continuation of International ApplicationNo. PCT/EP2013/051053, filed Jan. 21, 2013, and additionally claimspriority from U.S. Application No. 61/588,846, filed Jan. 20, 2012, allof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is concerned with transform coefficient codingsuch as transform coefficients of a transform coefficient block of apicture.

In block-based image and/or video codecs, a picture or frame is coded inunits of blocks. Among same, transform-based codecs subject blocks ofthe picture or frame to a transformation so as to obtain transformcoefficient blocks. For example, the picture or frame may bepredictively coded with a prediction residual being transform coded inunits of blocks and then coding the resulting transform coefficientlevels of the transform coefficients of these transform blocks usingentropy coding.

In order to increase the efficiency of entropy coding, contexts are usedin order to precisely estimate the probability of the symbols of thetransform coefficient levels to be coded. However, in the recent years,the demands imposed onto picture and/or image codecs has increased. Inaddition to the luma and chroma components, codecs sometimes have toconvey depth maps, transparity values and so forth. Moreover, thetransform block sizes are variable within an increasingly largeinterval. Due to these varieties, codecs have an increasing number ofdifferent contexts with different functions for determining the contextfrom already coded transform coefficients.

A different possibility of achieving high compression rates at a moremoderate complexity, is adjusting a symbolization scheme to thecoefficients' statistics as precise as possible. However; in order toperform this adaptation closely to the actual statistics, it is alsomandatory to take various factors into account thereby necessitating ahuge amount of differing symbolization schemes.

Accordingly, there is a need for keeping the complexity of transformcoefficient coding low while nevertheless maintaining the possibility ofachieving a high coding efficiency.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, an apparatus for decoding a plurality oftransform coefficients having transform coefficient levels from a datastream may have: a context adaptive entropy decoder configured to, for acurrent transform coefficient, entropy decode a first set of one or moresymbols from the data stream; a desymbolizer configured to map the firstset of one or more symbols onto a transform coefficient level within afirst level interval in accordance with a first symbolization scheme; anextractor configured to, if the transform coefficient level onto whichthe first set of one or more symbols is mapped in accordance with thefirst symbolization scheme is a maximum level of the first levelinterval, extract a second set of symbols from the data stream, whereinthe desymbolizer is configured to map the second set of symbols onto aposition within a second level interval in accordance with a secondsymbolization scheme which is parameterizable in accordance with asymbolization parameter, wherein the context adaptive entropy decoder isconfigured to, in entropy decoding at least one predetermined symbol ofthe first set of one or more symbols from the data stream, use a contextdepending, via a function parameterizable via a function parameter, withthe function parameter set to a first setting, on previously decodedtransform coefficients, and wherein the apparatus further includes asymbolization parameter determinator configured to, if the transformcoefficient level onto which the first set of one or more symbols ismapped in accordance with the first symbolization scheme is a maximumlevel of the first level interval, determine the symbolization parameterdepending, via the function with the function parameter set to a secondsetting, on the previously decoded transform coefficients.

Another embodiment may have a picture decoder including an inventiveapparatus, wherein the picture decoder is configured to, in decoding apicture, retransform blocks of the picture from transform coefficientblocks, wherein the apparatus is configured to sequentially decode aplurality of transform coefficients of the transform coefficient blocks;transform coefficient block by transform coefficient block, with usingthe function for transform coefficient blocks of different sizes, fortransform coefficient blocks of different sizes, and/or for transformcoefficient blocks of different information component type.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus for coding a plurality oftransform coefficients having transform coefficient levels into a datastream may have: a symbolizer configured to map a current transformcoefficient onto a first set of one or more symbols in accordance with afirst symbolization scheme, if the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level is within a first level interval, and if thecurrent transform coefficient's transform coefficient level is within asecond level interval, onto a combination of a second set of symbolsonto which a maximum level of the first level interval is mapped inaccordance with the first symbolization scheme, and a third set ofsymbols depending on a position of the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level within the second level interval, inaccordance with a second symbolization scheme which is parameterizablein accordance with a symbolization parameter; a context adaptive entropyencoder configured to, if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level is within the first level interval, entropy encode thefirst set of one or more symbols into the data stream, and, if thecurrent transform coefficient's transform coefficient level is withinthe second level interval, entropy encode the second set of one or moresymbols into the data stream, wherein the context adaptive entropyencoder is configured to, in entropy encoding at least one predeterminedsymbol of the second set of one or more symbols into the data stream,use a context depending, via a function parameterizable via a functionparameter, with the function parameter set to a first setting, onpreviously coded transform coefficients; and a symbolization parameterdeterminator configured to, if the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level is within the second level interval,determine the symbolization parameter for the mapping onto the third setof symbols depending, via the function with the function parameter setto a second setting, on the previously coded transform coefficients; andan inserter configured to, if the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level is within the second level interval, insertthe third set of symbols into the data stream.

Another embodiment may have a picture encoder including an inventiveapparatus, wherein the picture encoder is configured to, in encoding apicture, transform blocks of the picture into transform coefficientblocks, wherein the apparatus is configured to code a plurality oftransform coefficients of the transform coefficient blocks, transformcoefficient block by transform coefficient block, with using thefunction for blocks of different sizes.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus for decoding a pluralityof transform coefficients of different transform blocks, each having atransform coefficient level, from a data stream, may have: an extractorconfigured to extract a set of symbols from the data stream for acurrent transform coefficient; a desymbolizer configured to map the setof symbols onto a transform coefficient level for the current transformcoefficient in accordance with a symbolization scheme which isparameterizable in accordance with a symbolization parameter, and asymbolization parameter determinator configured to determine thesymbolization parameter for the current transform coefficient depending,via a function parameterizable via a function parameter, on previouslyprocessed transform coefficients, wherein the extractor, the symbolizerand the symbolization parameter determinator are configured tosequentially process the transform coefficients of the differenttransform blocks, wherein the function parameter varies depending on asize of the current transform coefficient's transform block, aninformation component type of the current transform coefficient'stransform block and/or a frequency portion the current transformcoefficient is located within the transform block.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus for coding a plurality oftransform coefficients of different transform blocks, each having atransform coefficient level, into a data stream, may have: a symbolizerconfigured to map a transform coefficient level for a current transformcoefficient in accordance with a symbolization scheme which isparameterizable in accordance with a symbolization parameter, onto a setof symbols; an inserter configured to insert the set of symbols for thecurrent transform coefficient into the data stream; and a symbolizationparameter determinator configured to determine the symbolizationparameter for the current transform coefficient depending, via afunction parameterizable via a function parameter, on previouslyprocessed transform coefficients, wherein the inserter, the symbolizerand the symbolization parameter determinator are configured tosequentially process the transform coefficients of the differenttransform blocks, wherein the function parameter varies depending on asize of the current transform coefficient's transform block, aninformation component type of the current transform coefficient'stransform block and/or a frequency portion the current transformcoefficient is located within the transform block.

According to another embodiment, a method for decoding a plurality oftransform coefficients having transform coefficient levels from a datastream may have the steps of: for a current transform coefficient,entropy decoding a first set of one or more symbols from the datastream; desymbolization mapping the first set of one or more symbolsonto a transform coefficient level within a first level interval inaccordance with a first symbolization scheme; if the transformcoefficient level onto which the first set of one or more symbols ismapped in accordance with the first symbolization scheme is a maximumlevel of the first level interval, extract a second set of symbols fromthe data stream, wherein the desymbolization mapping includes mappingthe second set of symbols onto a position within a second level intervalin accordance with a second symbolization scheme which isparameterizable in accordance with a symbolization parameter, theentropy decoding involves entropy decoding at least one predeterminedsymbol of the first set of one or more symbols from the data stream withusing a context depending, via a function parameterizable via a functionparameter, with the function parameter set to a first setting, onpreviously decoded transform coefficients, and may further have the stepof: if the transform coefficient level onto which the first set of oneor more symbols is mapped in accordance with the first symbolizationscheme is a maximum level of the first level interval, determining thesymbolization parameter depending, via the function with the functionparameter set to a second setting, on the previously decoded transformcoefficients.

According to another embodiment, a method for coding a plurality oftransform coefficients having transform coefficient levels into a datastream may have the steps of: symbolization mapping a current transformcoefficient onto a first set of one or more symbols in accordance with afirst symbolization scheme, if the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level is within a first level interval, and if thecurrent transform coefficient's transform coefficient level is within asecond level interval, onto a combination of a second set of symbolsonto which a maximum level of the first level interval is mapped inaccordance with the first symbolization scheme, and a third set ofsymbols depending on a position of the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level within the second level interval, inaccordance with a second symbolization scheme which is parameterizablein accordance with a symbolization parameter; context adaptive entropyencoding including, if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level is within the first level interval, entropy encodingthe first set of one or more symbols into the data stream, and, if thecurrent transform coefficient's transform coefficient level is withinthe second level interval, entropy encoding the second set of one ormore symbols into the data stream, wherein the context adaptive entropyencoding involves, in entropy encoding at least one predetermined symbolof the second set of one or more symbols into the data stream, using acontext depending, via a function parameterizable via a functionparameter, with the function parameter set to a first setting, onpreviously coded transform coefficients; and if the current transformcoefficient's transform coefficient level is within the second levelinterval, determining the symbolization parameter for the mapping ontothe third set of symbols depending, via the function with the functionparameter set to a second setting, on the previously coded transformcoefficients; and if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level is within the second level interval, inserting thethird set of symbols into the data stream.

According to another embodiment, a method for decoding a plurality oftransform coefficients of different transform blocks, each having atransform coefficient level, from a data stream, may have the steps of:extracting a set of symbols from the data stream for a current transformcoefficient; desymbolization mapping the set of symbols onto a transformcoefficient level for the current transform coefficient in accordancewith a symbolization scheme which is parameterizable in accordance witha symbolization parameter, and determining the symbolization parameterfor the current transform coefficient depending, via a functionparameterizable via a function parameter, on previously processedtransform coefficients, wherein the extraction, the symbolizationmapping and the determination are sequentially performed on thetransform coefficients of the different transform blocks, wherein thefunction parameter varies depending on a size of the current transformcoefficient's transform block, an information component type of thecurrent transform coefficient's transform block and/or a frequencyportion the current transform coefficient is located within thetransform block.

According to another embodiment, a method for coding a plurality oftransform coefficients of different transform blocks, each having atransform coefficient level, into a data stream, may have the steps of:symbolization mapping a transform coefficient level for a currenttransform coefficient in accordance with a symbolization scheme which isparameterizable in accordance with a symbolization parameter, onto a setof symbols; inserting the set of symbols for the current transformcoefficient into the data stream; and determining the symbolizationparameter for the current transform coefficient depending, via afunction parameterizable via a function parameter, on previouslyprocessed transform coefficients, wherein the insertion, thesymbolization mapping and the determination are sequentially performedon the transform coefficients of the different transform blocks, whereinthe function parameter varies depending on a size of the currenttransform coefficient's transform block, an information component typeof the current transform coefficient's transform block and/or afrequency portion the current transform coefficient is located withinthe transform block.

Another embodiment may have a computer program having a program code forperforming, when running on a computer, an inventive method.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus forcoding a plurality of transform coefficients having transformcoefficient levels into a stream, comprises a symbolizer configured tomap a current transform coefficient onto a first set of one or moresymbols in accordance with a first symbolization scheme, with thecurrent transform coefficient's transform coefficient level is within afirst level interval, and if the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level is within a second level interval, onto acombination of a second set of symbols onto which a maximum level of thefirst level interval is mapped in accordance with the firstsymbolization scheme, and a third set of symbols depending on a positionof the current transform coefficient's transform coefficient levelwithin the second level interval, in accordance with a secondsymbolization scheme which is parameterizable in accordance with asymbolization parameter. Further, the apparatus comprises a contextadaptive entropy encoder configured to, if the current transformcoefficient's transform coefficient level is within the first levelinterval, entropy encode the first set of one or more symbols into thedata stream, and, if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level is within the second level interval, entropy encodethe second set of one or more symbols into the data stream, wherein thecontext adaptive entropy encoder is configured to, in entropy encodingat least one predetermined symbol of the second set of one or moresymbols into the data stream, use a context depending, via a functionparameterizable via a function parameter, with a function parameter setto a first setting, on previously coded transform coefficient. Further,the apparatus comprises a symbolization parameter determinatorconfigured to, if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level is within the second level interval, determine thesymbolization parameter for the mapping onto the third set of symbolsdepending, via the function with the function parameter set to a secondsetting, on the previously coded in coefficients. An inserter isconfigured to, if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level is within the second level interval, insert the thirdset of symbols into the data stream.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus forcoding a plurality of transform coefficients of different transformblocks, each having a transform coefficient level, into a data stream,comprises a symbolizer configured to map a transform coefficient levelfor a current transform coefficient in accordance with a symbolizationscheme which is parameterizable in accordance with a symbolizationparameter, onto a set of symbols; an inserter configured to insert theset of symbols for the current transform coefficient into the datastream; and a symbolization parameter determinator configured todetermine the symbolization parameter for the current transformcoefficient depending, via a function parameterizable via a functionparameter, on previously processed transform coefficients, wherein theinserter, the desymbolizer and the symbolization parameter determinatorare configured to sequentially process the transform coefficients of thedifferent transform blocks, wherein the function parameter variesdepending on a size of the current transform coefficient's transformblock, an information component type of the current transformcoefficient's transform block and/or a frequency portion the currenttransform coefficient is located within the transform block.

An idea of the present invention is to use the same function for thedependency of the context and the dependency of the symbolizationparameter on previously coded/decoded transform coefficients. Using thesame function—with varying function parameter—may even be used withrespect to different transform block sizes and/or frequency portions ofthe transform blocks in case of the transform coefficients beingspatially arranged in transform blocks. A further variant of this ideais to use the same function for the dependency of a symbolizationparameter on previously coded/decoded transform coefficients fordifferent sizes of the current transform coefficient's transform block,different information component types of the current transformcoefficient's transform block and/or different frequency portions thecurrent transform coefficient is located within the transform block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequentlyreferring to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a transform coefficient blockcomprising transform coefficients to be coded and illustrates the co-useof a parametrizable function for context selection and symbolizationparameter determination in accordance with an embodiment of the presetinvention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of symbolization concept for transformcoefficient levels using two different schemes within two levelintervals;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic graph of two appearance probability curvesdefined over possible transform coefficient levels for two differentcontexts;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for coding a plurality oftransform coefficients in accordance with an embodiment;

FIGS. 5a and 5b show schematic diagrams of a structure for the datastream resulting in accordance with different embodiments;

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a picture encoder in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for decoding a plurality oftransform coefficients in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a picture decoder in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a transform coefficient block so asto illustrate a scan and a template in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for decoding a pluralityof transform coefficients in accordance with a further embodiment;

FIGS. 11a and 11b shows schematic diagrams of symbolization concepts fortransform coefficient levels combining two or three different schemeswithin partial intervals of the whole interval range;

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for coding a plurality oftransform coefficients in accordance with a further embodiment; and

FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of a transform coefficient block so asto illustrate, in accordance with a further embodiment, a scan orderamong the transform coefficient blocks following a sub-block orderdefined among sub-blocks into which the transform coefficient block issubdivided in order to illustrate another embodiment for designing theparametrizable function for context selection and symbolizationparameter determination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With respect to the description below, it is noted that the samereference sign is used in these figures for elements occurring in morethan one of these figures. Accordingly, the description of such anelement with respect to one figure shall equally apply to thedescription of another figure in which this element occurs.

Moreover, the description brought forward below preliminarily assumesthe transform coefficients to be coded as being two-dimensionallyarranged so as to form a transform block such as a transform block of apicture. However, the present application is not restricted to imageand/or video coding. Rather, the transform coefficients to be codedcould, alternatively, be transform coefficients of a one-dimensionaltransform such as used, for example, in audio coding or the like.

In order to explain the problems that the embodiments described furtherbelow face, and the way the embodiments further described below overcomethese problems, reference is preliminarily made to FIGS. 1 to 3, whichshow an example of transform coefficients of a transform block and theirgeneral way of entropy coding, which is then improved by thesubsequently explained embodiments.

FIG. 1 exemplarily shows a block 10 of transform coefficients 12, In thepresent embodiment, the transform coefficients are two-dimensionallyarranged. In particular, same are exemplarily shown as being regularlyarranged in columns and rows although another two-dimensionalarrangement is also possible. The transform which led to the transformcoefficients 12 or transform block 10 may be a DCT or some othertransform which decomposes a (transform) block of a picture, forexample, or some other block of spatially arranged values intocomponents of different spatial frequency. In the present example ofFIG. 1, the transform coefficients 12 are two-dimensionally arranged incolumns i and rows j so as to correspond to frequency pairs (f_(x)(i),f_(y)(j)) of frequencies f_(x)(i), f_(y)(j) measured along differentspatial directions x,y such as directions perpendicular to each other,where f_(x/y)(i)<f_(x/y)(i+1) and (i,j) is the position of therespective coefficient in transform block 10.

Often the transform coefficients 12 corresponding to lower frequencieshave higher transform coefficient levels compared to transformcoefficients corresponding to higher frequencies. Accordingly, oftenmany of the transform coefficients near the highest frequency, componentof the transform block 10 are quantized to zero and may not have to becoded. Rather, a scan order 14 may be defined among the transformcoefficients 12 which one-dimensionally arranges the two-dimensionallyarranged transform coefficients 12 (i,j) into a sequence of coefficientsat an order, i.e. (i,j) □ k, so that it is likely that the transformcoefficient levels have a tendency of monotonically decreasing alongthis order, i.e. it is likely that coefficient level of coefficient k isgreater than coefficient level of coefficient k+1.

For example, a zigzag or a raster scan may be defined among thetransform coefficients 12. According to the scan, the block 10 may bescanned in diagonals from, for example, the DC component transformcoefficient (upper left-hand coefficient) to the highest frequencytransform coefficient (lower right-hand coefficient) or vice versa.Alternatively, a row-wise or column-wise scan of the transformcoefficients between the just mentioned extreme component transformcoefficients may be used.

As described further below, in coding the transform block the positionof the last non-zero transform coefficient L in scan order 14 may becoded into the data stream first, with then merely coding the transformcoefficients from the DC transform coefficient along scan path 14 to thelast non-zero transform coefficient L—optionally in that direction or incounter direction.

The transform coefficients 12 have transform coefficient levels whichmay be signed or unsigned. For example, the transform coefficients 12may have been obtained by the afore-mentioned transform with subsequentquantization onto a set of possible quantization values each beingassociated with a respective transform coefficient level. Thequantization function used to quantize the transform coefficients, i.e.map the transform coefficients onto the transform coefficient levels,may be linear or non-linear. In other words, each transform coefficient12 has a transform coefficient level out of an interval of possiblelevels. FIG. 2, for example, shows an example where the transformcoefficient levels x are defined within a range of levels [0, 2^(N-1)].In accordance with an alternative embodiment, there may be no upperbound of the interval range. Moreover, FIG. 2 illustrates only positivetransform coefficient levels although same may also be signed. Regardingthe signs of the transform coefficients 12 and their coding, it shouldbe noted that different possibilities exist with respect to all of theembodiments outlined below in order to code these signs, and all ofthese possibilities shall be within the scope of these embodiments. Withregard to FIG. 2, this means that there may also be no lower bound ofthe range interval of the transform coefficient levels.

In any case, in order to code the transform coefficient levels of thetransform coefficients 12, different symbolization schemes are used inorder to cover different portions or intervals 16, 18 of the rangeinterval 20. To be more precise, transform coefficient levels within afirst level interval 16, except for the ones equal to a maximum level ofthe first level interval 16, may simply be symbolized onto a set of oneor more symbols in accordance with a first symbolization scheme.Transform coefficient levels, however, lying within the second levelinterval 18, are mapped onto a combination of symbol sets of the firstand second symbolization schemes. As will be noted later, third andfurther intervals may follow the second interval accordingly.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second level interval 18 lies above the firstlevel interval 16 but overlaps with the latter at the maximum level ofthe first level interval 16, which is 2 in the example of FIG. 2. Fortransform coefficient levels lying within the second level interval 18,the respective level is mapped onto a combination of the first symbolset corresponding to the first level interval's maximum level inaccordance with the first symbolization scheme, and a second symbol setdepending on a position of the transform coefficient level within thesecond level interval 18 in accordance with the second symbolizationscheme.

In other words, the first symbolization scheme 16 maps the levelscovered by the first level interval 16 onto a set of first symbolsequences. Please note that the length of the symbol sequences withinthe set of symbol sequences of the first symbolization scheme may evenbe merely one binary symbol in case of a binary alphabet and in case ofthe first level interval 16 merely covering two transform coefficientlevels such as 0 and 1. In accordance with an embodiment of the presentapplication, the first symbolization scheme is a truncated unarybinarization of levels in interval 16. In case of a binary alphabet, thesymbols may be called bins.

As will be described in more detail below, the second symbolizationscheme maps the levels within the second level interval 18 onto a set ofsecond symbol sequences of varying length wherein the secondsymbolization scheme is parameterizable in accordance with asymbolization parameter. The second symbolization scheme may map thelevels within interval 18, i.e. x—the maximum level of the firstinterval, onto a Rice code having a Rice parameter.

In particular, the second symbolization scheme 18 may be configured suchthat the symbolization parameter varies a rate at which a length of thesecond scheme's symbol sequences increases from the lower bound of thesecond level interval 18 to an upper bound thereof. Obviously, anincreased length of the symbol sequences consumes more data rate withinthe data stream into which the transform coefficients are to be coded.Generally, it is advantageous if the length of the symbol sequence ontowhich a certain level is mapped correlates with the actual probabilityat which the transform coefficient level to be currently coded assumesthe respective level. Naturally, the latter statement is also valid forthe levels outside the second level interval 18 within the first levelinterval 16 or for the first symbolization scheme in general.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, transform coefficients typically showa certain statistics or probability of occurrence of certain transformcoefficient levels. FIG. 3 shows a graph associating to each possibletransform coefficient level x a probability at which the respectivetransform coefficient level is actually assumed by a transformcoefficient in question. To be more precise, FIG. 3 shows two suchassociations or probability curves, namely for two coefficients ofdifferent contexts. That is, FIG. 3 assumes the transform coefficientsto be differentiated according to their contexts such as determined bythe transform coefficient values of neighboring transform coefficients.Depending on the context, FIG. 3 shows that the probability curve whichassociates a probability value with each transform coefficient level maydepend on the context of the transform coefficient in question.

In accordance with the embodiments described below, the symbols of thesymbol sequences of the first symbolization scheme 16 are entropy codedin a context adaptive way. That is, a context is associated with thesymbols, and the alphabet probability distribution associated with theselected context is used for entropy coding the respective symbol. Thesymbols of the symbol sequences of the second symbolization scheme areinserted into the data stream directly or using a fixed alphabetprobability distribution such an equal probability, distributionaccording to which all members of the alphabet are equally probable.

Contexts used in entropy coding the symbols of the first symbolizationscheme have to be selected appropriately so as to allow for a goodadaptation of the estimated alphabet probability distribution to theactual alphabet statistics. That is, the entropy coding scheme may beconfigured to update a current estimate of the context's alphabetprobability distribution whenever a symbol having this context isencoded/decoded, thereby approximating the actual alphabet statistics.The approximation is faster if the contexts are chosen appropriately,that is fine enough, but not with too many different contexts so as toavoid a too infrequent association of symbols with certain contexts.

Likewise, the symbolization parameter for a coefficient should be chosendependent on the previously coded/decoded coefficients so as toapproximate the actual alphabet statistics as close as possible. Toofine diversification is not a critical issue here, because thesymbolization parameter is directly determined from the previouslycoded/decoded coefficients, but the determination should closelycorrespond to the correlation of the dependency of the probability curvewithin the second interval 18 on the previously coded/decodedcoefficients.

As will be described in more detail below, the embodiments for codingtransform coefficients further described below are advantageous in thata common function is used in order to achieve the context adaptivity andthe symbolization parameter determination. Choosing the correct contextis, as outlined above, important in order to achieve a high codingefficiency or compression rate, and the same applies with respect to thesymbolization parameter. The embodiments described below allow forachieving this aim by keeping the overhead for instantiating thedependency on previously coded/decoded coefficients low. In particular,the inventors of the present application found a way of finding a goodcompromise between realizing efficient dependency on previouslycoded/decoded coefficients on the one hand and reducing the number ofproprietary logic for instantiating the individual context dependencieson the other hand.

FIG. 4 shows an apparatus for coding a plurality of transformcoefficients having transform coefficient levels into a data stream inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It is noted thatin the following description, the symbol alphabet is often assumed to bea binary alphabet although this assumption is, as outlined above, notcritical for the present invention and accordingly, all of theseexplanations shall be interpreted as being also illustrative for anextension onto other symbol alphabets.

The apparatus of FIG. 4 is for coding a plurality of transformcoefficients entering at an input 30 into a data stream 32. Theapparatus comprises a symbolizer 34, a context adaptive entropy encoder36, a symbolization parameter determinator 38 and an inserter 40.

The symbolizer 34 has its input connected to input 30 and is configuredto map a current transform coefficient currently entering its input ontosymbols in the way described above with respect to FIG. 2. That is, thesymbolizer 34 is configured to map a current transform coefficient ontoa first set of one or more symbols in accordance with a firstsymbolization scheme, if the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level x is within the first level interval 16, and, if thecurrent transform coefficient's transform coefficient level is withinthe second level interval 18, onto a combination of a second set ofsymbols onto which the maximum level of the first level interval 16 ismapped in accordance with a first symbolization scheme, and a third setof symbols depending on a position of the current transformcoefficient's transform coefficient level within the second levelinterval 18, in accordance with a second symbolization scheme. In otherwords, the symbolizer 34 is configured to map a current transformcoefficient onto a first symbol sequence of the first symbolizationscheme in case of the current transform coefficient's transformcoefficient level being within the first level interval 16 but outsidethe second level interval, and onto a combination of the firstsymbolization scheme's symbol sequence for the maximum level of thefirst level interval 16 and a symbol sequence of the secondsymbolization scheme in case of the current transform coefficient'stransform coefficient level being within the second level interval.

The symbolizer 34 has two outputs, namely one for symbol sequences ofthe first symbolization scheme, and another for the symbol sequences ofthe second symbolization scheme. The inserter 40 has an input forreceiving the second symbolization scheme's symbol sequences 42 and thecontext adaptive entropy encoder 36 has an input for receiving the firstsymbolization scheme's symbol sequences 44. Further, the symbolizer 34has a parameter input for receiving the symbolization parameter 46 froman output of symbolization parameter determinator 38.

The context adaptive entropy encoder 36 is configured to entropy encodethe symbol of the first symbol sequences 44 into the data stream 32. Theinserter 40 is configured to insert the symbol sequences 42 into datastream 32.

Generally speaking, both entropy encoder 36 and inserter 40 sequentiallyscan the transform coefficients. Obviously, inserter 40 merely operatesfor transform coefficients, the transform coefficient level of whichlies within the second level interval 18. However, as will be describedin more detail below, there are different possibilities for defining theorder between the operation of the entropy encoder 36 and the inserter40. In accordance with a first embodiment, the coding apparatus of FIG.4 is configured to scan the transform coefficients in one single scan sothat inserter 40 inserts the symbol sequence 42 of a transformcoefficient into the data stream 32 subsequent to the entropy encoder'sentropy encoding of the first symbol sequence 44 relating to the sametransform coefficient into the data stream 32 and prior to the entropyencoder's entropy encoding the symbol sequence 44 relating to the nexttransform coefficient in line into the data stream 32.

In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the apparatus uses twoscans, wherein within the first scan the context adaptive entropyencoder 36 sequentially encodes the symbol sequences 44 into the datastream 32 for each transform coefficient with inserter 40 then insertingthe symbol sequences 42 for those transform coefficients the transformcoefficient level of which lies within the second level interval 18.There could even be more sophisticated schemes according to which, forexample, the context adaptive entropy encoder 36 uses several scans inorder to encode the individual symbols of the first symbol sequences 44into the data stream 32 such as the first symbol or bin in a first scan,followed by a second symbol or bin of the sequences 44 in a second scanand so forth.

As already indicated above, the context adaptive entropy encoder 36 isconfigured to entropy encode at least one predetermined symbol of thesymbol sequences 44 into the data stream 32 in a context adaptive way.For example, the context adaptivity could be used for all the symbols ofthe symbol sequences 44. Alternatively, context adaptive entropy encoder36 may restrict the context adaptivity to the symbols at the firstposition and the symbol sequences of the first symbolization schemeonly, or the first and second, or the first to third positions and soforth.

As described above, for context adaptivity, encoder 36 manages contextsby, storing and updating an alphabet probability distribution estimatefor each context. Each time a symbol of a certain context is encoded,the currently stored alphabet probability distribution estimate isupdated using the actual value of this symbol thereby approximating thesymbols' actual alphabet statistics of that context.

Likewise, symbolization parameter determinator 38 is configured todetermine the symbolization parameter 46 for the second symbolizationscheme and its symbol sequences 42 depending on previously codedtransform coefficients.

To be more precise, the context adaptive entropy encoder 36 isconfigured such that same uses, or select, for the current transformcoefficient a context depending, via a function parameterizable via afunction parameter, and with the function parameter set to a firstsetting, on previously coded transform coefficients, while the symbolparameter determinator 38 is configured to determine the symbolizationparameter 46 depending, via the same function, and with the functionparameter set to a second setting, on the previously coded transformcoefficients. The settings may differ, but nevertheless, assymbolization parameter determinator 38 and context adaptive entropyencoder 36 use the same function, logic overhead may be reduced. Merelythe function parameter may differ between the context selection of theentropy encoder 36 on the one hand and the symbolization parameterdetermination of the symbolization parameter determinator 38 on theother hand.

As far as the dependency on the previously coded transform coefficientsis concerned, it should be noted that this dependency is restricted tothe extent to which these previously coded transform coefficients havealready been coded into data stream 32. Imagine, for example, that sucha previously encoded transform coefficient lies within the second levelinterval 18, but the symbol sequence 42 thereof has not yet beeninserted into data stream 32. In that case, symbolization parameterdeterminator 38 and context adaptive entropy encoder 36 merely know fromthe first symbol sequence 44 of that previously coded transformcoefficient that same lies within the second level interval 18. In thatcase, the maximum level of the first level interval 16 may serve as arepresentative for this previously coded transform coefficient. Insofar,the dependency “on the previously coded transform coefficients” shall beunderstood in a broad way so as to encompass a dependency on“information on other transform coefficients previously encoded/insertedinto the data stream 32”. Further, transform coefficients lying “beyond”the last non-zero coefficient L position may be inferred to be zero.

In order to finalize the description of FIG. 4, the outputs of entropyencoder 36 and inserter 40 are shown to be connected to a common output48 of the apparatus via a switch 50, with the same connectivity existingbetween inputs for previously inserted/coded information ofsymbolization parameter determinator 38 and context adaptive entropyencoder 36 on the one hand and the outputs of entropy encoder 36 andinserter 40 on the other hand. Switch 50 connects output 48 with eitherone of the outputs of entropy encoder 36 and inserter 40 in the ordermentioned above with respect to the various possibilities of using one,two or more scans for coding the transform coefficients.

In order to explain the common use of the parameterizable function withrespect to context adaptive entropy encoder 36 and symbolizationparameter determinator 38 in more specific terms, reference is made toFIG. 1. The function which is co-used by entropy encoder 36 andsymbolization parameter determinator 38 is indicated at 52 in FIG. 1,namely g(ƒ(x)). The function is applied to a set of previously codedtransform coefficients which may, as explained above, be defined toencompass those previously coded coefficients having a certain spatialrelationship relative to the current coefficient. Specific embodimentsfor this function will be outlined in more detail below. Generallyspeaking, ƒ is function which combines the set of previously codedcoefficient levels into a scalar, wherein g is function which checks asto which interval the scalar lies in. In other words, the functiong(ƒ(x)) is applied to a set x of transform coefficients previouslycoded. In FIG. 1, the transform coefficient 12 indicated by a smallcross denotes, for example, the current transform coefficient, and thehatched transform coefficients 12 indicate the set x of transformcoefficients to which function 52 is applied in order to obtain asymbolization parameter 46 and an entropy context index 54 indexing thecontext for the current transform coefficient x. As illustrated in FIG.1, a local template, defining a relative spatial arrangement around thecurrent transform coefficient may be used in order to determine the setx of relevant previously coded transform coefficients out of allpreviously coded transform coefficients. As can be seen in FIG. 1, thetemplate 56 may encompass the immediately neighboring transformcoefficient below and to the right of the current transform coefficient.By choosing the template like this, the symbol sequences 42 and 44 oftransform coefficients on one diagonal of the scan 140 may be coded inparallel since none of the transform coefficients on a diagonal fallsinto the template 56 of another transform coefficient in the samediagonal. Naturally, similar templates may be found for row- andcolumn-wise scans.

In order to provide more specific examples for the commonly usedfunction g(ƒ(x)) and the corresponding function parameters, in thefollowing such examples are provided using respective formulae. Inparticular, the apparatus of FIG. 4 may be configured such that thefunction 52 defining the relationship between a set x of previouslycoded transform coefficients on the one hand, and a context index number54 indexing the context and the symbolization parameter 46 on the otherhand, may be

${{g\left( {f(x)} \right)}{\mspace{11mu} \mspace{11mu}}{where}\mspace{14mu} {g(x)}} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{d_{f}}{{\delta^{1}\left( {x,\ n_{1}} \right)}{\mspace{11mu} {{{and}\mspace{14mu} {f(x)}} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{d}{w_{i} \cdot h \cdot {\delta \left( {x_{i},t} \right)}}}}}}}$

with

${\delta \left( {x,t} \right)} = \left\{ {{\begin{matrix}{{1{x}} \geq t} \\{{0{x}} < t}\end{matrix}\mspace{14mu} {and}\mspace{14mu} {\delta^{\prime}\left( {x,n} \right)}} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{1x} > n} \\{{0x} \leq n}\end{matrix} \right.} \right.$

wheret and {x_(y) ₂ , . . . n_(d) _(ƒ) }=n and, optionally w_(i), from thefunction parameter,x={x₁, . . . , x_(d)} with x_(i) with iϵ{1 . . . d} representing apreviously decoded transform coefficient i, w_(i) are weighting valueseach of which may be equal to one or unequal to one, and h is a constantor function of x_(i).

It follows that g(ƒ(x)) lies within [0,d_(ƒ)]. If g(ƒ(x)) is used todefine an context index offset number ctx_(offset) which is summed-upalong with at least one base context index offset number ctx_(base),then the value range of resulting context indexctx=ctx_(base)+ctx_(offset) is [ctx_(base); ctx_(base)+d_(θ)]. Wheneverit is mentioned that differing sets of contexts are used to entropy codesymbols of symbol sequences 44, then ctx_(base) is chosen differentlysuch that [ctx_(base,1) ctx_(base)+d_(θ)] does not overlap[ctx_(base,2); ctx_(base)+d_(ƒ)]. This is, for example, true for

-   -   transform coefficients belonging to transform blocks of        differing size;    -   transform coefficients belonging to transform blocks of        differing information component type such as depth, luma, chroma        and so forth;    -   transform coefficients belonging to differing frequency portions        of the same transform block;

As mentioned before, the symbolization parameter may be a Rice parameterk. That is, (absolute) levels within interval 16, i.e. X, with X+M=x(where M is the maximum level of interval 16 and x is the(absolute)transform coefficient level) would be mapped onto a bin stringhaving a prefix and a suffix, the prefix being a unary code of[X·2^(−k)], and the suffix being a binary code of the remainder of[X·2^(−k)].

d_(ƒ) may also form part of the function parameter, d may also form partof the function parameter.

A difference in function parameter such as between context selection andsymbolization parameter determination necessitates merely one differencein either t, {n₁, . . . , n_(d) _(ƒ) }=n, d_(ƒ) (if forming part of thefunction parameter), or d (if forming part of the function parameter).

As explained above, the index i may index the transform coefficients 12within template 56. x_(i) may be set to zero in case of the respectivetemplate position lying outside the transform block. Further, thecontext adaptive entropy encoder 36 may be configured such that thedependency of the context from the previously coded transformcoefficients via the function is such that x_(i) is equal to thetransform coefficient level of the previously coded transformcoefficient i in case same is within the first level interval 16, and isequal to the maximum level of the first level interval 16, in case ofthe transform coefficient level of the previously coded transformcoefficient i being within the second level interval 18, or such thatx_(i) is equal to the transform coefficient level of the previouslycoded transform coefficient i, independent from the transformcoefficient level of the previously coded transform coefficient i beingwithin the first or second level interval.

As far as the symbolization parameter determinator is concerned, samemay be configured such that, in the determination of the symbolizationparameter, x_(i) is equal to the transform coefficient level of thepreviously coded transform coefficient i, independent from the transformcoefficient level of the previously coded transform coefficient i beingwithin the first or second level interval.

The apparatus may be further configured such that n₁≤ ≤n_(d) _(f)applies in any case.The apparatus may also be configured such that h=|x_(i)|−t.

In a further embodiment the apparatus may be configured to spatiallydetermine the previously coded transform coefficients depending on arelative spatial arrangement of the transform coefficients relative tothe current transform coefficient, i.e. based on a template around thecurrent transform coefficient's position.

The apparatus may be further configured to determine a position of alast non-zero transform coefficient L among transform coefficients of atransform coefficient block 10 along a predetermined scan order 14, andto insert information on the position into the data stream 32, whereinthe plurality of transform coefficients encompasses the transformcoefficients from the last non-zero transform coefficient L to abeginning of the predetermined scan order, i.e. a DC component transformcoefficient.

In a further embodiment, the symbolizer 34 may configured to use amodified first symbolization scheme for symbolization of the lasttransform coefficient L. According to the modified first symbolizationscheme, merely non-zero transform coefficient levels within the firstlevel interval 16 may be mapped, while a zero level is presumed not toapply for the last transform coefficient L. For example, the first binof the truncated unary binarization may be suppressed for coefficient L.

The context adaptive entropy encoder may be configured to use a separateset of contexts for entropy encoding the first set of one or moresymbols for the last non-zero transform coefficient, separate fromcontexts used in entropy encoding the first set of one or more symbolsof other than the last non-zero transform coefficient.

The context adaptive entropy encoder may traverse the plurality oftransform coefficients in an opposite scan order leading from the lastnon-zero transform coefficient to the DC transform coefficient of thetransform coefficient block. This may or may not also apply for thesecond symbol sequences 42.

The apparatus may also be configured to code the plurality of transformcoefficients into the data stream 32 in two scans, wherein the contextadaptive entropy coder 36 may be configured to entropy encode the firstsymbols sequences 44 for the transform coefficients into the data stream32 in an order corresponding to a first scan of the transformcoefficients, wherein the inserter 40 is configured to subsequentlyinsert the symbol sequences 42 for the transform coefficients having atransform coefficient level within the second level interval 18 into thedata stream 32 in an order corresponding to an occurrence of thetransform coefficients having a transform coefficient level within thesecond level interval 18 within a second scan of the transformcoefficients. An example for a resulting data stream 32 is shown in FIG.5a : it may comprise, optionally, in information 57 on the position ofL, followed by the symbol sequences 42 in entropy encoded form (at leastsome in context adaptive entropy encoded form) and further followed bythe symbol sequences 44 inserted directly or using, for example, bypassmode (equal probable alphabet).

In a further embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to code theplurality of transform coefficients into the data stream 23 sequentiallyin one scan, wherein the context adaptive entropy encoder 36 and theinserter 40 are configured to, for each transform coefficient in a scanorder of the one scan, insert the symbol sequences 42 of respectivetransform coefficients having a transform coefficient level within thesecond level interval 18 into the data stream 32 immediately subsequentto the context adaptive entropy coder's entropy encoding of the symbolsequence 44 into the data stream 32, along with which same form thecombination onto which same transform coefficients are mapped, so thatthe symbol sequences 42 are interspersed into the data stream 32 betweensymbol sequences 44 of the transform coefficients. The result isillustrated in FIG. 5 b.

The inserter 40 may be configured to insert the symbol sequences 42 intothe data stream directly or using entropy encoding using a fixedprobability distribution. The first symbolization scheme may be atruncated unary binarization scheme. The second symbolization scheme maybe such that the symbol sequences 42 are of a Rice code.

As already noted above the embodiments of FIG. 4 may be implementedwithin an image/video coder. An example of such an image/video coder orpicture coder is shown in FIG. 6. The picture encoder is generallyindicated at reference sign 60 and comprises an apparatus 62corresponding to the one shown in FIG. 4, for example. The encoder 60 isconfigured to, in encoding a picture 64, transform blocks 66 of thepicture 64 into transform coefficient blocks 10 which are then treatedby apparatus 62 so as to code, per transform block 10, a plurality oftransform coefficients thereof. In particular, apparatus 62 processestransform blocks 10 transform block by transform block. In doing so,apparatus 62 may use function 52 for blocks 10 of different sizes. Forexample, an hierarchical multi-tree subdivision may be used in order todecompose picture 64 or tree-root blocks thereof, into blocks 66 ofdifferent sizes. The transform blocks 10 resulting from applying atransform to these blocks 66 are, accordingly, also of different sizeand although, accordingly, function 52 may be optimized for thedifferent block sizes by way of using different function parameters, theoverall overhead for providing such different dependencies for thesymbolization parameter on the one hand and the context index on theother hand is kept low.

FIG. 7 shows an apparatus for decoding a plurality of transformcoefficients having transform coefficient levels from a data stream 32which fits to the apparatus outlined above with respect to FIG. 4. Inparticular, the apparatus of FIG. 7 comprises a context adaptive entropydecoder 80, a desymbolizer 82 and an extractor 84 as well as asymbolization parameter determinator 86. The context adaptive entropydecoder 80 is configured to, for a current transform coefficient,entropy decode a first set of one or more symbols, i.e. symbol sequence44, from the data stream 32. Desymbolizer 82 is configured to map thefirst set of one or more symbols, i.e. the symbol sequence 44, onto atransform coefficient level within the first level interval 16 inaccordance with a first symbolization scheme. To be more precise,context adaptive entropy decoder 80 and desymbolizer 82 operate in aninteractive manner. Desymbolizer 82 informs context adaptive entropydecoder 80 via a signal 88 at which symbol sequentially decoded bydecoder 80 from data stream 32 a valid symbol sequence of the firstsymbolization scheme has been finalized.

Extractor 84 is configured to, if the transform coefficient level ontowhich the first set of one or more symbols, i.e. symbol sequence 44, ismapped in accordance with the first symbolization scheme, is the maximumlevel of the first level interval 16, extract a second set of symbols,i.e. symbol sequence 42 from data stream 32. Again, desymbolizer 82 andextractor 84 may operate in concert. That is, desymbolizer 82 may informextractor 84 by a signal 90 when a valid symbol sequence of the secondsymbolization scheme has been finalized whereupon extractor 84 mayfinish the extraction of symbol sequence 42.

The desymbolizer 82 is configured to map the second set of symbols, i.e.symbol sequence 42, onto a position within the second level interval 18in accordance with the second symbolization scheme which, as alreadynoted above, is parameterizable in accordance with the symbolizationparameter 46.

The context adaptive entropy decoder 80 is configured to, in entropydecoding at least one predetermined symbol of the first symbol sequence44, use a context depending, via function 52, on previously decodedtransform coefficients. The symbolization parameter determinator 86 isconfigured to, if the transform coefficient level onto which the firstsymbol sequence 44 is mapped in accordance with the first symbolizationscheme is the maximum level of the first level interval 16, determinethe symbolization parameter 46 depending, via function 52, on thepreviously decoded transform coefficients. To this end, inputs ofentropy decoder 80 and symbolization parameter determinator 86 areconnected via a switch 92 to an output of desymbolizer 82 at whichdesymbolizer 82 outputs values x_(i) of the transform coefficients.

As described above, for context adaptivity, decoder 80 manages contextsby storing and updating an alphabet probability distribution estimatefor each context. Each time a symbol of a certain context is decoded,the currently stored alphabet probability distribution estimate isupdated using the actual/decoded value of this symbol therebyapproximating the symbols' actual alphabet statistics of that context.

Likewise, symbolization parameter determinator 86 is configured todetermine the symbolization parameter 46 for the second symbolizationscheme and its symbol sequences 42 depending on previously decodedtransform coefficients.

Generally, all the possible modifications and further details describedabove with respect to the encoding are also transferable onto theapparatus for decoding of FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 shows as a pendant to FIG. 6. That is, the apparatus of FIG. 7may be implemented within the picture decoder 100. The picture decoder100 of FIG. 7 comprises an apparatus according to FIG. 7, namelyapparatus 102, The picture decoder 100 is configured to, in decoding orreconstructing a picture 104, retransform blocks 106 of picture 104 fromtransform coefficient blocks 10 the plurality of transform coefficientsof which apparatus 102 decodes from the data stream 32 which, in turn,enters picture decoder 100. In particular, apparatus 102 processestransform blocks 10 block by block and may, as already denoted above,use function 52 commonly for blocks 106 of different sizes.

It should be noted that picture encoder and decoder 60 and 100,respectively, may be configured to use predictive coding with applyingthe transform/retransform to the prediction residual. Moreover, the datastream 32 may have subdivision information encoded therein, whichsignals to picture decoder 100 the subdivision into the blocksindividually subject to transformation.

Below, the above embodiments are again described in some other words,and with providing more details on specific aspects which details mayindividually transferred onto the above embodiments. That is, aboveembodiments related to a specific way of context modeling for the codingof syntax elements related to transform coefficients such as inblock-based image and video coders, and aspects thereof are describedand highlighted further below.

The embodiments may relate to the field of digital signal processingand, in particular, to a method and apparatus for image and videodecoders and encoders. In particular, the coding of transformcoefficients and their associated syntax elements in block-based imageand video codecs may be performed in accordance with the embodimentsdescribed. In so far, some embodiments represented an improved contextmodeling for the coding of syntax elements related to transformcoefficients with an entropy coder that employs a probability modeling.Further, the derivation of a Rice parameter that is used for theadaptive binarization of the remaining absolute transform coefficientsmay be done as described above with respect to the symbolizationparameter. Unification, simplification, parallel processing friendly,and moderate memory usage in terms of context memory are the benefits ofthe embodiments compared to straight forward context modeling.

In even other words, embodiments of the present invention may reveal anew approach for context model selection of syntax elements related tothe coding of transform coefficients in block-based image and videocoders. Further, derivation rules for a symbolization parameter, such asa Rice parameter, that controls the binarization of a remaining value ofan absolute transform coefficients have been described. Essentially, theabove embodiments used a simple and common set of rules for the contextmodel selection for all or for a part of syntax elements related to thecoding of the transform coefficients.

The first symbolization scheme mentioned above may be a truncated unarybinarization. If so, coeff_significant_flag, coeff_abs_greater_1, andcoeff_abs_greater_2 may be called the binary syntax elements or symbolswhich form the first, the second, and the third bin resulting from thetruncated unary binarization of a transform coefficient. As describedabove, the truncated unary binarization may merely represent a prefix,which may be accompanied by the suffix being itself a Rice code in caseof the transform coefficient's level falling within the second levelinterval 18. A further suffix may be of a Exp-Golomb code such as of0-order, thereby forming a further level interval following the firstand second intervals 16 and 18 in FIG. 2 (not shown in FIG. 2).

The derivation of the Rice parameter for the adaptive binarization ofthe remaining absolute transform coefficient may be done, as describedabove, based on the same set of rules 52 as used for the context modelselection.

With respect to the scan order, it is noted that same may be variedcompared to the above description. Moreover, different block sizes andshapes may be supported by the apparatuses of FIGS. 4 and 6, with using,however, the same set of rules, i.e. with using the same function 52.Accordingly, a unified and simplified scheme for the context modelselection of syntax elements related to the coding of transformcoefficients combined with a harmonization for the derivation ofsymbolization parameter may be achieved. Thus, the context modelselection and symbolization parameter derivation may use the same logicwhich may be hardwired, programmed hardware or a software-subroutine,for example.

To achieve a common and simple scheme for context model selection andderivation of the symbolization parameter, such as Rice parameter,already coded transform coefficients of a block or a shape may beevaluated as described above. In order to evaluate the already codedtransform coefficients, the separation in coding ofcoeff_significant_flag, which is the first bin resulting from thebinarization (which could be referred to as the coding of thesignificance map), and the remaining absolute value of the transformcoefficient level is performed using a common function 52.

The coding of the sign information may be done in an interleaved manner,i.e. by coding the sign directly after the coding of the absolutetransform coefficient. Thus, the whole transform coefficients would becoded in one scan pass only. Alternatively, the sign information can becoded in a separate scanning path as long as the evaluation values ƒ(x)rely on absolute level information only.

As denoted above, the transform coefficients may be coded in a singlescan pass or in multiple scan passes. This may be enabled by, ordescribed by, a cutoff set c the coefficients c_(i) of which indicatethe number of symbols of the transform coefficient's (first and second)symbolization processed in scan i. In the case of an empty cutoff set,one scan would be used. In order to have improved results for thecontext model selection and the derivation of the symbolizationparameter, the first cutoff parameter c₀ of the cutoff set c should belarger than one.

Note that cutoff set c may be chosen to be c={c₀; c₁} with c₀=1 and c₁=3and |c|=2, where c₀ indicates the number of bins/symbols of the firstbinarization, encompassed in the first scan, and c₁=3 indicating thesymbol position within the first binarization up to which symbols of thefirst binarization are covered be the second scan. Another example isgiven when the scheme codes first bin resulting from the binarizationfor a whole block or shape in a first scan pass, next the second bin forthe whole block or shape in a second scan pass, with c₀ equal to one, c₁equal to two, and so on.

The local template 56 for the coding of coeff_significant_flag, i.e. thefirst bin from the binarization process, may be designed as shown inFIG. 1 or as shown in FIG. 9. As a unification and simplification, thelocal template 56 may be used for all block sizes and shapes. Instead ofevaluating the number of neighbors with transform coefficient inequalityto zero only, the whole transform coefficients are input into function52 in form of x_(i). Note that the local template 56 can be fixed, i.e.independent from the current transform coefficient's position or scanindex and independent from the previously coded transform coefficients,or adaptive, i.e. dependent from the current transform coefficient'sposition or scan index and/or the previously coded transformcoefficients, and the size can be fixed or adaptive. Further, when thetemplate size and shape is adjusted allowing the coverage of all scanpositions of a block or a shape, all already coded transformcoefficients or all already coded transform coefficients up to aspecific limit are used for the evaluation process.

As an example, FIG. 9 shows another example for the local template 56which may be used for an 8×8 transform block 10 with diagonal scan 14. Ldenotes the last significant scan position and the scan positions markedwith an x denotes the current scan position. Note that for other scanorders, the local template may be modified to fit the scan order 14. Forexample, in case of a forward diagonal scan, the local template 56 maybe flipped along the diagonals.

The context model selection and symbolization parameter derivation maybe based on different evaluation values ƒ(x) resulting from theevaluation of already coded neighbors x_(i). This evaluation is done forall scan positions having already coded neighbors covered by the localtemplate 56. The local template 56 has a variable or fixed size and maydepend on the scan order. However, the template shape and size is anadaptation to the scan order only and therefore the derivation of thevalues ƒ(x) is independent from the scan order 140 and the template's 56shape and size. Note that by setting the size and the shape of thetemplate 56 such that the coverage of all scan positions of a block 10for every scan position is allowed, the usage of all already codedtransform coefficients in the current block or shape is achieved.

As state before, the selection of the context model indices and thederivation of the symbolization parameter use evaluation values ƒ(x). Ingeneral, a generic set of mapping functions maps the resultingevaluation values ƒ(x) onto a context model index and on a specificsymbolization parameter. In addition to that, additional information asthe current spatial position of the current transform coefficient insideof the transform block or shape 10 or the last significant scan positionL may be used for the selection of context models related to the codingof transform coefficients and for the derivation of the symbolizationparameter. Note that the information resulting from the evaluation andspatial location or the last information may be combined and therefore aspecific weighting is possible. After the evaluation and the derivationprocess, all parameters (context model indices, symbolization parameter)are available for the coding of a whole transform coefficient level or atransform coefficient up to a specific limit.

As an example configuration of the presented invention, the cutoff setsize is empty. This means, each transform coefficient is transmittedcompletely before processing the next transform coefficients along thescan order.

The evaluation values β(x) may result from the evaluation of alreadycoded neighbors covered by the local template 56. A specific mappingfunction ƒ_(r)(x) maps the input vector to an evaluation value used toselect the context model and the Rice parameter. The input vector x mayconsist of transform coefficient values x_(i) of the neighbors coveredby the local template 56 and depends on the interleaving scheme. Forexample, if the cutoff set c is empty, and the sign is coded in aseparate scan pass, the vector x consists of absolute transformcoefficients x_(i) only. In general, the values of the input vector xcan be signed or unsigned. The mapping function can be formulated asfollows with an input vector x of dimension of d (given t as a constantinput).

ƒ_(t)(x)=Σ_(i=1) ^(i=d) w _(i) g _(t)(x _(i))δ(x _(i) ,t)

To be more specific, the mapping function ƒ_(t)(x) may be defined asfollows with an input vector x of dimension of d (given t as a constantinput),

ƒ_(t)(x)=Σ_(i=1) ^(i=d) w _(i)(|x _(i) |−t)δ(x _(i) ,t)

That is, g_(t) (x_(i)) may be (|x_(i)|−t). In the latter formula, thefunction δ is defined as follows (given t as a constant input):

$\begin{matrix}{{\delta \left( {x,t} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}\left. 1 \middle| x \middle| {\geq t} \right. \\\left. 0 \middle| x \middle| {< t} \right.\end{matrix} \right.} & (1)\end{matrix}$

Another kind of evaluation value is the number of neighboring absolutetransform coefficients levels larger or smaller than a specific value tdefined as follows:

${f_{t}(x)} = {\sum\limits_{i = 0}^{i = d}{w_{i}{\delta \left( {x_{i},t} \right)}\begin{matrix}\; \\\;\end{matrix}}}$

Note that for both kind of evaluation values, an additional weightingfactor controls the importance of a specific neighbor is possible. Forexample, the weighting factor w_(t) is higher for neighbors with shorterspatial distance than for neighbors with larger spatial distance.Further, the weighting is neglected when setting all w_(i) to one.

As an example configuration of the presented invention, ƒ₀, θ₁, ƒ₂ andƒ₃ are evaluation values with respective i of {0, 1, 2, 3} and δ(x_(i))as defined in (1). For this example, ƒ₀ is used for the derivation ofthe context index of the first bin, ƒ₁, for the second bin, ƒ₂ for thethird bin, and ƒ₃ for the Rice parameter. In another exampleconfiguration, Jo is used for the context model selection of the firstbin, while ƒ₃ is taken for the context model selection of the second,the third bin, and the Rice parameter. Here, the Rice parameter servesas a representative also for other symbolization parameters.

The context model selection for all syntax elements or bin indices inthe entropy coding and the symbolization parameter uses the same logicby employing the evaluation values ƒ(x). In general, a specificevaluation value ƒ(x) is mapped by another mapping function g(x,n) to acontext model index or a symbolization parameter. A specific mappingfunction is defined as follows with d as the dimension of the inputvector n.

${g(x)} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{i = d}{\delta \left( {x,n_{i}} \right)}}$

For this mapping, the function δ(x,n) can be defined as follows.

${\delta \left( {x,n} \right)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{1x} > n} \\{{0x} \leq n}\end{matrix} \right.$

The dimension d of the input vector n and the values of the vector n maybe variable and depend on the syntax element or bin index. Further, thespatial location inside of the transform block or shape may be used toadd or subtract (or to move) the selected context model index.

The first scan position in scanning the transform coefficients whencoding/decoding same, may be the last scan position L when applying thescan direction of FIG. 1 pointing from DC to highest frequency. That is,at least the first scan of the scans for traversing the coefficients inorder to code/decode same, may point from coefficient L to DC. For thisscan position L, the first bin index may be neglected as the lastinformation already signalized that this scan position consists of atransform coefficient unequal to zero. For this scan position, aseparate context model index can be used for the coding of the secondand the third bin resulting from the binarization of the transformcoefficient.

As an example configuration of the presented invention, the resultingevaluation value ƒ₀ is used as input together with the input vectorn={1,2,3,4,5}, and the resulting value is the context model index forthe first bin. Note that, in case of evaluation value equal to zero, thecontext index is zero. The same scheme is applied with the evaluationvalue ƒ₁ and the input vector n={0,2,3,4} and the resulting value is thecontext model index for the second and the third bin of thebinarization. For the Rice parameter, θ₃ and n={0,5,19} is used. Notethat the maximum Rice parameter is three and therefore no change in themaximum Rice parameter compared to the state-of-the-art is done by thepresented invention. Alternatively, ƒ₁ can be used to derive the Riceparameter. For that configuration, the input vector should be modifiedto n={3,9,21}. Note that the underlying set of rules are the same forall syntax element or bin indices and for the Rice parameter, only theparameters or threshold sets (input vector n) are different. Further,depending on the diagonal of the current scan position, the contextmodel index may be modified as stated before by add or subtract aspecific amount. An equivalent description for that is the selection ofanother disjoint context model set. In an example implementation, theresulting context model index for the first bin is moved by 2*|ctx0| ifthe current scan position lies on the first two diagonals. If thecurrent scan position lies on the third and the fourth diagonal, thecontext model index for the first bin is moved by |ctx0|, where |ctx0|is the number of maximum context models resulting from the derivationbase on the evaluation values resulting in disjoint context model sets.This concept is used for luma planes only for an example implementation,while no further offset is added in case of chroma avoiding contextdilution (i.e. not enough bins are coded with an adaptive context modeland the statistic cannot be tracked by the context model). The sametechnique may be applied to the context model index of the second andthe third bin. Here, in an example configuration of the presentedinvention, the threshold diagonals are three and ten. Again, thistechnique is applied to the luma signal only. Note that it is alsopossible to extend this technique to the chroma signals. Further, notethat the additional index offset depending on diagonals can beformulated as follows.

ctx _(offset) =d _(i) *idx _(inc)

In this formula, d_(j) denotes the weight for the diagonal of thecurrent scan position and idx_(mc), denotes the step size. Further, notethat the offset index can be inverted for practical implementations. Forthe stated example implementation, an inversion would be set theadditional index to zero if the current scan position lies on the firstand the second diagonal, is moved by |ctx0| for the third and the forthdiagonal and is 2*|ctx0| otherwise. By using the given formula, the samebehavior as for the example configuration is achieved when setting d₀and d₁ to 2, d₃ and d₄ to 1 and the all remaining diagonal factors to 0.

Even if the context model index is equal for different block sizes orplane types (e.g. luma and chroma), the base context model index can bedifferent resulting in different set of context models. For example, thesame base index for block sizes larger than 8×8 in luma may be used,while the base index may be different for 4×4 and 8×8 in luma. In orderto have a meaningful number of context models, the base index may,however, be grouped in a different way.

As an example configuration, the context models for 4×4 blocks and theremaining blocks may be different in luma, while the same base index maybe used for the chroma signal. In another example, the same base indexmay be used for both luma and chroma signals, while the context modelsfor luma and chroma are different. Furthermore, the context models forthe second and the third bins may be grouped resulting in a smallernumber of context memory. If the context model index derivation for thesecond and the third bin is equal, the same context model may be used totransmit the second and the third bin. By a right combination of baseindex grouping and weighting, a meaningful number of context models maybe achieved resulting in a saving of context memory.

In an embodiment of the invention, the cutoff set c is empty. That is,merely one scan is used. For this embodiment, the sign information canbe interleaved using the same scan pass or can be coded in a separatescan pass. In another embodiment, the set size c is equal to one and c₀,the first and the only value of the cutoff set c is equal to three. Thiscorresponds to the example illustrated above with using two scans. Inthis embodiment, the context model selection may be done for all threebins resulting from the truncated unary binarization while thesymbolization parameter derivation such as Rice parameter selection maybe done using the same function 52.

In an embodiment, the size of the local template is five. The size ofthe local template may be four. For this embodiment, the neighbor withthe spatial distance of two in vertical direction may be removedcompared to FIG. 8. In a further embodiment, the template size isadaptive and is adjusted to the scan order. For this embodiment, theneighbor that is coded in a processing step before is not included intothe template just as it is the case in FIGS. 1 and 8. By doing this, thedependency or latency is shortened, resulting in a higher processingorder. In a further embodiment, the template size and shape is adjustedlarge enough (e.g. same block or shape size of the current block orshape). In another embodiment, two local templates may be used and theymay be combined by a weighting factor. For this embodiment, the localtemplates may differ in size and shape.

In an embodiment, ƒ₀ may be used to select the context model index forthe first bin and ƒ₁ for the second bin, the third bin, and the Riceparameter. In this embodiment, the input vector n={1,2,3,4,5} resultingin 6 context models. The input vector n for the second and the third binindex may be the same and n={1,2,3,4}, while the input vector n for theRice parameter may be n={3,9,21}. Furthermore, in an embodiment, theafore-mentioned frequency portions of the transform block within whichseparate context sets are used, may be formed by disjoint sets ofdiagonals (or lines) of the diagonal (raster) scan. For example,different context base offset numbers may exist for the first and seconddiagonals, the second and third diagonals and the fourth and fifthdiagonals when seen from DC component, so that the context selection forcoefficients in these diagonals takes place within disjoint sets ofcontexts. Note that the first diagonal is one. For the second and thethird bin index, diagonals lying in the range between [0,2] have aweighting factor of two and diagonals lying in the range between [3,9]have a weighting factor of one. These additional offsets are used in thecase of luma signal, while the weighting factors for chroma are allequal to zero. Also for this embodiment, the context model for thesecond and the third bin index of the first scan position, which is thelast significant scan position, is separated from the remaining contextmodels. This means that the evaluation process can never select thisseparate context model.

In an embodiment, 4×4 luma blocks or shape uses a single set of contextfor the first bin, while the context models for the remaining blocksizes or shape are the same. In this embodiment, there is no separationbetween the block size or shape for the chroma signal. In anotherembodiment of the invention, there is no separation between block sizesor shape results in the same base index or context model sets for allblock sizes and shape. Note that for both embodiments, different set ofcontext models are used for luma and chroma signals.

Below, an embodiment using a modified Rice parameter binarizationaccording to above embodiments, but without context adaptive entropycoding is shown. According to this alternative coding scheme, the Ricebinarization scheme is used only (with, optionally, addition of anExp-Golomb suffix). Thus, no adaptive context model is necessitated tocode a transform coefficient. For that alternative coding scheme, theRice parameter derivation uses the same rule as for the aboveembodiments.

In other words, in order to reduce the complexity and context memory andto improve the latency in the coding pipeline, an alternative codingscheme that is based on the same set of rules or logic is described. Forthis alternative coding scheme, the context model selection for thefirst three bins resulting from the binarization is disabled and thefirst three bins resulting from the Truncated Unary binarization, i.e.the first symbolization scheme, may be coded with the fixed equalprobability (i.e. with a probability of 0.5). Alternatively, theTruncated Unary binarization scheme is omitted and the interval boundsof the binarization scheme are adjusted. In this usage, the left boundof the Rice interval, i.e. interval 18, is 0 instead of 3 (with interval16 vanishing). The right/upper bound for this usage can be unmodified orcan be subtracted by 3. The derivation of the Rice parameter can bemodified in terms of evaluation values and in terms of the input vectorn.

Thus, in accordance with the just-outlined modified embodiments, anapparatus for decoding a plurality of transform coefficients ofdifferent transform blocks, each having a transform coefficient level,from a data stream 32, may be constructed and operate as shown in, anddescribed with respect to FIG. 10.

The apparatus of FIG. 10, comprises an extractor 120 configured toextract a set of symbols or symbol sequence 122 from the data stream 32for a current transform coefficient. The extraction is performed asdescribed above with respect to extractor 84 of FIG. 7.

A desymbolizer 124 is configured to map the set 122 of symbols onto atransform coefficient level for the current transform coefficient inaccordance with a symbolization scheme which is parameterizable inaccordance with a symbolization parameter. The mapping may solely usethe parametrizable symbolization scheme such as a Rice binarization, ormay use this parametrizable symbolization scheme merely as a prefix orsuffix of an overall symbolization of the current transform coefficient.In case of FIG. 2, for example, the parametrizable symbolization scheme,i.e, the second one, formed the suffix relative to the firstsymbolization scheme's symbol sequence.

To present more examples, reference is made to FIGS. 11a and b .According to FIG. 11a , the interval range 20 of the transformcoefficients is subdivided into three intervals 16, 18 and 126, togethercovering the interval range 20 and overlapping each other at arespective maximum level of the respective lower interval. If thecoefficient level x is within the highest interval 126, the overallsymbolization is a combination of symbol sequence 44 of the firstsymbolization scheme 128 symbolizing levels within interval 16, thesymbol sequence forming a prefix, followed by a first suffix, namely asymbol sequence 42 of the second symbolization scheme 130 symbolizinglevels within interval 18, and further followed by a second suffix,namely a symbol sequence 132 of a third symbolization scheme 134symbolizing levels within interval 126. The latter may be an Exp-Golombcode such as of order 0. If the coefficient level x is within the midinterval 18 (but not within interval 126), the overall symbolization isa combination of merely prefix 44 followed by the first suffix 42. Ifthe coefficient level x is within the lowest interval 16 (but not withininterval 18), the overall symbolization is merely composed of prefix 44.The overall symbolization is composed such that same is prefix-free.Without the third symbolization, the symbolization according to FIG. 11amay correspond to the one of FIG. 2. The third symbolization scheme 134may be a Golomb-Rice binarization. The second symbolization scheme 130may form the parametrizable one, although same could also be the first128.

An alternative overall symbolization is shown in FIG. 1. Here, merelytwo symbolization schemes are combined. Compared to FIG. 11a , the firstsymbolization scheme has been left away. Depending on x within theinterval 136 of scheme 134, or the interval 138 of scheme 130 (outsideof interval 136), the symbolization of x comprises prefix 140 and suffix142, or merely prefix 140.

Further, the apparatus of FIG. 10 comprises a symbolization parameterdeterminator 144 connected between the desymbolizer's output and aparameter input of desymbolizer 124. Determinator 144 is configured todetermine the symbolization parameter 46 for the current transformcoefficient depending, via function 52, on previously processedtransform coefficients (as far as derivable from the desymbolizedfragments or portions desymbolized/processed/decoded so far).

The extractor 120, the desymbolizer 124 and the symbolization parameterdeterminator 144 are configured to sequentially process the transformcoefficients of the different transform blocks as it was describedabove. That is, scan 140 may be traversed in opposite direction within atransform block 10. Several scans may be used such as, for example, forthe different symbolization fragments, i.e. prefix and suffix(es).

The function parameter varies depending on a size of the currenttransform coefficient's transform block, an information component typeof the current transform coefficient's transform block and/or afrequency portion the current transform coefficient is located withinthe transform block.

The apparatus may be configured such that the function defining therelationship between the previously decoded transform coefficients onthe one hand, and the symbolization parameter on the other hand, isg(ƒ(x)), which function has already been described above.

As has also been discussed above, spatial determination of thepreviously processed transform coefficients depending on a relativespatial arrangement relative to the current transform coefficient may beused.

The apparatus may operate very easily and fast, as the extractor 120 maybe configured to extract the set of symbols from the data streamdirectly or using entropy decoding using a fixed probabilitydistribution. The parametrizable symbolization scheme may be such thatthe set of symbols is of a Rice code, and the symbolization parameter isa RICE parameter.

In other words, the desymbolizer 124 may be configured to restrict thesymbolization scheme to a level interval such as 18 or 138 out of arange interval 20 of the transform coefficients so that the set ofsymbols represents a prefix or suffix with respect to other portions ofan overall symbolization of the current transform coefficient such as 44and 132, or 142. As to the other symbols, same may also be extractedfrom the data stream directly or using entropy decoding using a fixedprobability distribution, but FIGS. 1 to 9 showed that entropy codingusing context adaptivity may also be used.

Apparatus of FIG. 10 may be used as apparatus 102 in the picture decoder102 of FIG. 8.

For sake of completeness, FIG. 12 shows, an apparatus for coding aplurality of transform coefficients of different transform blocks, eachhaving a transform coefficient level, into a data stream 32, fitting toapparatus of FIG. 10.

The apparatus of FIG. 12 comprises a symbolizer 150 configured to map atransform coefficient level for a current transform coefficient inaccordance with a symbolization scheme which is parameterizable inaccordance with a symbolization parameter, onto a set of symbols orsymbol sequence.

An inserter 154 is configured to insert the set of symbols for thecurrent transform coefficient into the data stream 32.

A symbolization parameter determinator 156 is configured to determinethe symbolization parameter 46 for the current transform coefficientdepending, via a function 52 parameterizable via a function parameter,on previously processed transform coefficients, and may, to this end, beconnected between an output of inserter 152 and parameter input ofsymbolizer 150, or, alternatively, between output and input ofsymbolizer 150.

Inserter 154, symbolizer 150 and symbolization parameter determinator156 may be configured to sequentially process the transform coefficientsof the different transform blocks, and the function parameter variesdepending on a size of the current transform coefficient's transformblock, an information component type of the current transformcoefficient's transform block and/or a frequency portion the currenttransform coefficient is located within the transform block.

As stated above with respect to the decoding apparatus of FIG. 10, theapparatus of FIG. 12 may be configured such that the function definingthe relationship between the previously decoded transform coefficientson the one hand, and the symbolization parameter on the other hand, isg(ƒ(x)), and the previously processed transform coefficients mayspatially be determined depending on a relative spatial arrangementrelative to the current transform coefficient. The inserter may beconfigured to insert the set of symbols into the data stream directly orusing entropy encoding using a fixed probability distribution, and thesymbolization scheme may be such that the set of symbols is of a Ricecode, and the symbolization parameter is a RICE parameter. Thesymbolizer may be configured to restrict the symbolization scheme to alevel interval out of a range interval 20 of the transform coefficientsso that the set of symbols represents a prefix or suffix with respect toother portions of an overall symbolization of the current transformcoefficient.

As mentioned above, in an implementation of FIGS. 10 to 12 embodiments,the context model selection for the first three bins is disabled ascompared to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 9. For this embodiment, theresulting bins from the Truncated Unary binarization 128 are coded witha fixed probability of 0.5. In a further embodiment, the Truncated Unarybinarization 128 is omitted as shown in FIG. 11b and the bounds for theRice interval is adjusted resulting in the same interval range as in thestate of the art (i.e, left and right bounds minus 3). For thisembodiment, the Rice parameter derivation rule is modified compared tothe embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 9. Instead using ƒ₁ as evaluation value, ƒ₀may be used, for example. Further, the input vector may be adjusted ton={4,10,22}.

A further embodiment described hereinbelow, illustrates the possibilityof virtually having different templates for context selection/dependencyon the one hand and symbolization parameter determination on the otherhand. That is, the template of coefficients x_(i) remains the same forboth context selection/dependency and symbolization parameterdetermination, but the coefficients x_(i) which participate ininfluencing ƒ(x) is effectively rendered different between contextselection/dependency and symbolization parameter determination byappropriately setting w_(i) all coefficients x_(i) for which weightsw_(i) are zero do not influence ƒ(x) in accordingly, designing theportions of the template where w_(i) is zero, different between contextselection/dependency on the one hand and symbolization parameterdetermination on the other hand, effectively results in different“effective templates” for context selection/dependency and symbolizationparameter determination. In other words, by setting some w_(i) to zerofor certain template positions i for one of the contextselection/dependency and the symbolization parameter determination,while setting w_(i) at these certain template positions i to non-zerovalues for the other of the context selection/dependency and thesymbolization parameter determination, the template of thefirst-mentioned one the context selection/dependency and thesymbolization parameter determination is effectively smaller than thetemplate of the latter of the context selection/dependency and thesymbolization parameter determination, Again, as already denoted above,the template may encompass all transform coefficients of the block,irrespective of the currently coded transform coefficient's position,for example.

See, for example, FIG. 13 showing a transform coefficient block 10,exemplarily consisting of an array of 16×16 transform coefficients 12.The transform coefficient block 10 is subdivided into sub-blocks 200 of4×4 transform coefficients 12, each. The sub-blocks 200 are thereforearranged regularly in a 4×4 array. In accordance with the presentembodiment, for coding the transform coefficient block 10, asignificance map is coded within the data stream 32, the significant mapindicating positions of significant transform coefficient levels 12,i.e. transform coefficient levels being unequal to 0. Then, thetransform coefficient levels minus one of these significant transformcoefficients may be coded within the data stream. The coding of thelatter transform coefficient levels may be done as described above,namely by a mixed context adaptive entropy coding and variable lengthcoding scheme using the common parametrizable function for selecting thecontext and determining the symbolization parameter, A certain scanorder may be used in order to serialize or order the significanttransform coefficients. One example of such a scan order is illustratedin FIG. 13: the sub-blocks 200 are scanned from the highest frequency(lower right) to DC (upper left), and within each sub-block 200 thetransform coefficients 12 are scanned before the transform coefficientsof the next sub-block in sub-block order are visited. This isillustrated by arrows 202 indicating the sub-block scan, and 204illustrating a portion of the actual coefficient scan. A scan index maybe transmitted within the data stream 32 so as to allow for selectingamong several scan paths for scanning the sub-blocks 200 and/ortransform coefficients 12 within the sub-blocks, respectively. In FIG.13, a diagonal scan is illustrated for both the sub-block scan 202 andthe scan of transform coefficients 12 within each sub-block.Accordingly, at the decoder the significance map would be decoded, andthe transform coefficient levels of the significant transformcoefficients would be decoded using the just mentioned scan order andusing the above embodiments exploiting the parametrizable function. Inthe description outlined in more detail below, xS and yS denote thesub-block column and sub-block row measured from the DC position on,i.e. the upper left corner of block 10, within which a currentlycoded/decoded transform coefficient is positioned. xP and yP denote theposition of the currently coded/decoded transform coefficient measuredfrom the upper left corner (DC coefficient position) of the currentsub-block (xS, yS). This is illustrated in FIG. 13 for the upper rightsub-block 200. xC and yC denote the currently decoded/coded transformcoefficients position measured in transform coefficients from the DCposition on. Further, as the block size for block 10 in FIG. 13, namely16×16, has been chosen merely for illustration purposes, the embodimentfurther outlined below uses log 2TrafoSize as a parameter denoting thesize of the block 10, which is assumed to be quadratic. log 2TrafoSizeindicates the logarithm dualis of the number of transform coefficientswithin each row of transform coefficients of block 10, i.e. logi of thelength of the edges of block 10 measured in transform coefficients.CtxIdxInc finally selects the context. Further, in the specificembodiment outlined below, it is assumed that the aforementionedsignificant map signals coded_sub_block_flag, i.e. a binary syntaxelement or flag, for the sub-blocks 200 of block 10 in order to signal,sub-block wise, whether within the respective sub-block 200 anysignificant transform coefficient is located or not, i.e, whether merelyinsignificant transform coefficients are located within the respectivesub-block 200. If the flag is zero, merely insignificant transformcoefficients are located within the respective sub-block.

Thus, in accordance with this embodiment, the following is performed bythe context adaptive entropy decoder/encoder in order to select thecontext of significant_coeff_flag, i.e. a flag which is part of thesignificance map and signals for a certain transform coefficient of asub-block for which coded_sub_block_flag signals that the respectivesub-block 200 contains non-zero transform coefficients, as to whetherthe respective coefficient is significant, i.e. non-zero, or not.

Inputs to this process are the colour component index cldx, the currentcoefficient scan position (xC, yC), the scan order index scanIdx, thetransform block size log 2TrafoSize. Output of this process isctxIdxInc.

The variable sigCtx depends on the current position (xC, yC), the colourcomponent index cldx, the transform block size and previously decodedbins of the syntax element coded_sub_block_flag. For the derivation ofsigCtx, the following applies.

-   -   If log 2TrafoSize is equal to 2, sigCtx is derived using        ctxIdxMap[ ] specified in table 1 as follows.        -   sigCtx=ctxIdxMap[(yC<<2)+xC]    -   Otherwise, if xC+yC is equal to 0, sigCtx is derived as follows.        sigCtx=0    -   Otherwise, sigCtx is derived using previous values of        coded_sub_block_flag as follows.        -   The horizontal and vertical sub-block positions xS and yS            are set equal to (xC>>2) and (yC>>2), respectively.        -   The variable prevCsbf is set equal to 0.        -   When xS is less than (1<<(log 2TrafoSize−2))−1, the            following applies.        -   prevCsbf+=coded_sub_block_flag[xS+1][yS]        -   When yS is less than (1<<(log 2TrafoSize−2))−1, the            following applies.        -   prevCsbf+=(coded_sub_block_flag[xS][yS+1]<<1)        -   The inner sub-block positions xP and yP are set equal to (xC            & 3) and (yC & 3), respectively.        -   The variable sigCtx is derived as follows.            -   If prevCsbf is equal to 0, the following applies.            -   sigCtx=(xP+yP==0)?2:(xP+yP<3)?1:0            -   Otherwise, if prevCsbf is equal to 1, the following                applies.            -   sigCtx=(yP==0)?2:(yP==1) ? 1: 0            -   Otherwise, if prevCsbf is equal to 2, the following                applies.            -   sigCtx=(xP==0)?2:(xP==1) ? 1: 0            -   Otherwise (prevCsbf is equal to 3), the following                applies.            -   sigCtx=2            -   The variable sigCtx is modified as follows.                -   If cldx is equal to 0, the following applies.                -    When (xS+yS) is greater than 0, the following                    applies.                -    sigCtx+=3                -    The variable sigCtx is modified as follows.                -    If log 2TrafoSize is equal to 3, the following                    applies.                -    sigCtx+=(scanIdx==0) ? 9: 15                -   Otherwise, the following applies. sigCtx+=21            -   Otherwise (cIdx is greater than 0), the following                applies.                -   If log 2TrafoSize is equal to 3, the following                    applies.                -   sigCtx+=9                -   Otherwise, the following applies.                -   sigCtx+=12

The context index increment ctxIdxInc is derived using the colourcomponent index cIdx and sigCtx as follows.

-   -   If cIdx is equal to 0, ctxIdxInc is derived as follows.    -   ctxIdxInc=sigCtx    -   Otherwise (cIdx is greater than 0), ctxIdxInc is derived as        follows.    -   ctxIdxInc=27+sigCtx

TABLE 1 Specification of ctxIdxMap [i] i 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 ctxIdxMap[i] 0 1 4 5 2 3 4 5 6 6 8 8 7 7 8

As described above, for each significant transform coefficient, furthersyntax elements or sets of symbols may be conveyed within the datastream in order to signal the levels thereof. In accordance with theembodiment outlined below, for one significant transform coefficient thefollowing syntax elements or sets of transform coefficients aretransmitted: coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag,coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag (optional), and coeff_abs_level_remainingso that the level of the currently coded/decoded significant transformcoefficient level TransCoeffLevel is

TransCoeffLevel=(coeff_abs_level_remaining+baseLevel)*(1−2*coeff_sign_flag])

With

baseLevel=1+coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag+coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag

Please note that significant_coeff_flag is, per definition, 1 forsignificant transform coefficients, and accordingly, may be regarded aspart of the coding of the transform coefficient, namely part of theentropy coded symbols thereof.

The context adaptive entropy decoder/encoder would, for example, performthe context selection for coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag as follows. Forexample, the current sub-block scan index i would increase along scanpath 202 into the direction of DC, and the current coefficient scanindex n would increase within the respective sub-block within which thecurrently coded/decoded transform coefficient position is located, alongscan path 204, wherein, as outlined above, different possibilities existfor the scan paths 202 and 204, and same may actually be variableaccording to an index scanIdx.

Inputs to this process of selecting the context ofcoeff_abs_level_greaterI_flag are the colour component index cldx, thecurrent sub-block scan index i and the current coefficient scan index nwithin the current sub-block.

Output of this process is ctxIdxInc.The variable ctxSet specifies the current context set and for itsderivation the following applies.

-   -   If this process is invoked for the first time for the current        sub-block scan index i, the following applies.        -   The variable ctxSet is initialized as follows.        -   If the current sub-block scan index i is equal to 0 or cldx            is greater than 0, the following applies.        -   ctxSet=0        -   Otherwise (i is greater than 0 and cldx is equal to 0), the            following applies.        -   ctxSet=2        -   The variable lastGreaterICtx is derived as follows.            -   If the current sub-block with scan index i is the first                one to be processed in this subclause for the current                transform block, the variable lastGreaterICtx is set                equal to 1.            -   Otherwise, the variable lastGreaterICtx is set equal to                the value of greaterICtx that has been derived during                the last invocation of the process specified in this                subclause for the syntax element                coeff_abs_level_greaterI_flag for the previous sub-block                with scan index i+1.        -   When lastGreaterICtx is equal to 0, ctxSet is incremented by            one as follows.        -   ctxSet=ctxSet+1        -   The variable greaterICtx is set equal to 1.    -   Otherwise (this process is not invoked for the first time for        the current sub-block scan index i), the following applies.        -   The variable ctxSet is set equal to the variable ctxSet that            has been derived during the last invocation of the process            specified in this subclause.        -   The variable greaterICtx is set equal to the variable            greaterICtx that has been derived during the last invocation            of the process specified in this subclause.        -   When greaterICtx is greater than 0, the variable            lastGreaterIFlag is set equal to the syntax element            coeff_abs_level_greaterI_flag that has been used during the            last invocation of the process specified in this subclause            and greaterICtx is modified as follows.            -   If lastGreaterIFlag is equal to 1, greaterICtx is set                equal to 0.            -   Otherwise (lastGreaterIFlag is equal to 0), greaterICtx                is incremented by 1.                The context index increment ctxIdxInc is derived using                the current context set ctxSet and the current context                greaterICtx as follows.

ctxIdxInc=(ctxSet*4)+Min(3,greaterICtx)

When cldx is greater than 0, ctxIdxInc is modified as follows.

ctxIdxInc=ctxIdxInc+16

The process of selecting the context of coeff_abs_level_greater2_flagcould be made the same as coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag with thefollowing difference:The context index increment ctxIdxInc is set equal to the variablectxSet as follows.

ctxIdxInc=ctxSet

When cIdx is greater than 0, ctxIdxInc is modified as follows.

ctxIdxInc=ctxIdxInc+4

For the symbolization parameter selection, the following would beperformed by the symbolization parameter determinator in order todetermine the symbolization parameter which, here, comprisescLastAbsLevel and cLastRiceParam.

Input to this process is a request for a binarization for the syntaxelement coeff_abs_level_remaining[n], and baseLevel.

Output of this process is the binarization of the syntax element.The variables cLastAbsLevel and cLastRiceParam are derived as follows.

-   -   If n is equal to 15, cLastAbsLevel and cLastRiceParam are set        equal to 0.    -   Otherwise (n is less than 15), cLastAbsLevel is set equal to        baseLevel+coeff_abs_level_remaining[n+1] and cLastRiceParam is        set equal to the value of cRiceParam that has been derived        during the invocation of the binarization process as specified        in this subclause for the syntax element        coeff_abs_level_remaining[n+1] of the same transform block.        The variable cRiceParam is derived from cLastAbsLevel and        cLastRiceParam as:

cRiceParam

Min cLastRiceParam+(cLastAbsLevel>(3*(1«cLastRiceParam))?1:0),4)

The variable cTRMax is derived from cRiceParam as:

cTRMax=4<<cRiceParam

The binarization of coeff_abs_level_remaining may consist of a prefixpart and (when present) a suffix part.

The prefix part of the binarization is derived by invoking, for example,Rice binarization process for the prefix part Min(cTRMax,coeff_abs_level_remaining[n]).

When the prefix bin string is equal to the bit string of length 4; forexample, with all bits equal to 1, the bin string may consists of aprefix bin string and a suffix bin string. The suffix bin string may bederived using an Exp Golomb order-k binarization for the suffix part(coeff_abs_level_remaining[n]−cTRMax) with the Exp-Golomb order k setequal to cRiceParam+1, for example.

It should be noted that above embodiments may be varied. For example,the dependency on the colour component index cIdx could be left away.Merely one color component would, for example, be considered. Further,all of the explicit values could be varied. In so far, the just-outlinedexamples are to be interpreted broadly so as to also incorporatevariations.

In the above example, the embodiments outlined above may advantageouslybe used in the following way. In particular, the determination ofCtxIdxInc for coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag on the one hand and thesymbolization parameter determination for coeff_abs_level_remaining isharmonized exploiting the above functions f and g by setting thefunction parameters in the following way.

To this end, FIG. 16 exemplarily shows a “current transform coefficient”illustrated with a cross 206. Same is representative for any transformcoefficient with which any of the subsequently mentioned syntax elementsare associated. It is positioned at (xP,yP)=(1,1) and (xC,yC)=(1,5)within current sub-block (xS,yS)=(0,1). Right-neighbor sub-block is at(xS,yS)=(1,1), bottom-neighbor sub-block is at (xS,yS)=(0,2) and theimmediately previously coded sub-block depends on the scan path 202.Here, exemplarily, a diagonal scan 202 is shown, and the sub-blockcoded/decoded immediately preceding the current sub-bock is at(xS,yS)=(1,0).

Let's, again, rewrite the formulas for the common parametrizablefunction

g(ƒ(x))=Σ_(i=1) ^(d) ^(ƒ) δ′(ƒ(x),(n _(i))  (1)

ƒ(x)=Σ_(t) w _(i) ×h(x _(i))×δ(x _(i) ,t)  (2)

For selecting the context of significant_coeff_flag for currentcoefficient 206, the following could be computed by the entropyencoding/decoding apparatus. That is, same would use function (1) with(2) with having the function parameters t, h and w set as follows:

For function (2), w_(i)=1 for all x_(i) within the neighboringsub-blocks to the right and to below of, the current sub-block, andw_(i)=0 elsewhere in block 10;

h(x_(i))=1 for all x_(i), within the neighboring sub-block to the rightof the current sub-block; if present, same has been previously scannedin the sub-block scan 202; in case, more than one scan 202 is available,all may be such that, independent of scanIdx, the neighboring sub-blockto the right has its coefficients coded/decoded prior to the currentsub-block;

h(x_(i))=2⁴+1 for all x_(i) within the neighboring sub-block below thecurrent sub-block previously scanned in the sub-block scan (independentof scanIdx);

h(x_(i))=0 otherwise;

t=1;

If the value of ƒ equals 0, this signals the case that none of theneighboring sub blocks to the right and below the current sub-blockNachbarn comprises any significant transform coefficient;

If the value of ƒ falls between 1 and 16, both inclusively, thiscorresponds to the fact that coded_sub_block_flag equals 1 in the rightneighbor sub-block

If the value of ƒ is a multiple of 2⁴+1 (without reminder), Thiscorresponds to the fact that coded_sub_block_flag equals 1 in the bottomneighbor sub-block

If the value of ƒ is a multiple of 2⁴+1, but with reminder, this meansthat coded_sub_block_flag equals 1 for both neighboring sub-blocks,namely the one to the right of, and the one to below of, the currentsub-block;

For function (1), n is set as follows with d_(ƒ) being 3:

$n = {{\left( {0,2^{4},m} \right)\mspace{14mu} {with}\mspace{14mu} m} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{2^{16}\mspace{14mu} {if}\mspace{14mu} {f(x)}} \leq 2^{4}} \\{{{f(x)} - {{f(x)}\% \left( {2^{4} + 1} \right)\mspace{14mu} {else}}}\mspace{14mu}}\end{matrix} \right.}$

By this measure, the variable component of the context index isdetermined using g(f) with the above function parameters based onalready coded(decoded coefficients.

For selecting the context of coeff_abs_greater1_flag, the followingcould be computed by the entropy encoding/decoding apparatus. That is,same would use function (1) with (2) with having the function parameterset as follows:

For function (2), the parameters are set as follows:

w_(i)=1 is set for all x_(i); in the immediately preceding sub-block andthe current sub-block, and zero for all the others.

h(x_(i))=1 for all x_(i) in the current sub-block with |x_(i)|=1h(x_(i))

=2⁴ for all x_(i) in the current sub-block with |x_(i)|>1 h(x_(i))=

2¹⁶ for all x_(i) in the immediately preceding sub-block t=2

For function (1) n is set as follows with d_(ƒ) being 8:

n=(0,1,2,2⁴, 2¹⁶, 2¹⁶+1, 2¹⁶+2, 2¹⁶+2⁴)

For selecting the context of coeff_abs_greater2_flag, the followingcould be computed by the entropy encoding/decoding apparatus. Inparticular, same would use function (1) with (2) with having thefunction parameter set as described above with respect tocoeff_abs_greater2_flag, but with d_(ƒ) being 1:

n=(2¹⁶)

For determining the symbolization parameter forcoeff_abs_level_remaining, the symbolization parameter determiner coulduse the common function (1) with the function parameters set as follows:

For function (2), the parameters are set as follows:

w_(i)=1 for all x_(i) in the current cub-block, but zero elsewhere

h(x_(i))=1 for the most recently—in accordance with the internalcoefficient scan 204—visited coefficient x_(i) for whichcoeff_abs_level_remaining has been coded, i.e. the level of which fellinto the interval corresponding to the symbolization scheme;

h(x_(i))=0 elsewhere in the template

t=0

For function (1) n is et as follows:

$n = \left( {{2^{m}\mspace{14mu} {with}\mspace{14mu} m} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}{{k\mspace{14mu} {if}\mspace{14mu} k} < 4} \\{{2^{16}{\mspace{11mu} \;}{if}\mspace{14mu} k} = 4}\end{matrix} \right.} \right.$

where k is the symbolization parameter, e.g. the Rice Parameter, for theafore-mentioned most recently—in accordance with the internalcoefficient scan 204—visited coefficient. Using the resulting g(f), thesymbolization parameter for the current coefficient 206 is determined.

The following syntax could be used to transfer the just-outlined syntaxelements.

residual_coding( x0, y0, log2TrafoSize, cIdx ) { if(transform_skip_enabled_flag && !cu_transquant_bypass_flag &&(log2TrafoSize = = 2 )) transform_skip_flag[ x0 ][ y0 ][ cIdx ]last_significant_coeff_x_prefix last_significant_coeff_y_prefix if(last_significant_coeff_x_prefix > 3 ) last_significant_coeff_x_suffixif( last_significant_coeff_y_prefix > 3 )last_significant_coeff_y_suffix lastScanPos = 16 lastSubBlock = ( 1 <<(log2TrafoSize − 2))*(1<<( log2TrafoSize − 2 )) − 1 do { if( lastScanPos= = 0 ){ lastScanPos = 16 lastSubBlock− − } lastScanPos− − xS =ScanOrder[ log2TrafoSize − 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ lastSubBlock ] [ 0 ] yS =ScanOrder[ log2TrafoSize − 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ lastSubBlock ] [ 1 ] xC = (xS << 2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ lastScanPos ] [ 0 ] yC = ( yS<< 2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ lastScanPos ] [ 1 ] } while( ( xC!= LastSignificantCoeffX ) | | ( yC != LastSignificantCoeffY )) for( i =lastSubBlock; i >= 0; i− − ) { xS = ScanOrder[ log2TrafoSize − 2 ][scanIdx ][ i ][ 0 ] yS = ScanOrder[ log2TrafoSize − 2 ][ scanIdx ][ i ][1 ] inferSbDcSigCoeffFlag = 0 if( (i < lastSubBlock) && (i > 0 )) {coded_sub_block_flag[ xS ][ yS ] inferSbDcSigCoeffFlag = 1 } for( n = (i= = lastSubBlock) ? lastScanPos − 1 : 15; n >= 0; n− − ) { xC = ( xS <<2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ n ] [ 0 ] yC = ( yS << 2 ) +ScanOrder[ 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ n ] [ 1 ] if( coded_sub_block_flag[ xS ][yS ] && ( n > 0 | | !inferSbDcSigCoeffFlag )) { significant_coeff_flag[xC ][ yC ] if( significant_coeff_flag[ xC ][ yC ] )inferSbDcSigCoeffFlag = 0 } } firstSigScanPos =16 lastSigScanPos = −1numGreaterlFlag = 0 lastGreaterlScanPos = −1 for( n = 15 n >= 0; n− − ){ xC = ( xS << 2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ n ] [ 0 ] yC = ( yS <<2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ] [ scanIdx ] [ n ] [ 1 ] if( significant_coeff_flag[xC ][ yC ] ) { if( numGreaterlFlag < 8 ) {coeff_abs_level_greaterl_flag[ n ] numGreater1Flag++ if(coeff_abs_level_greaterl_flag[ n ] && lastGreaterlScanPos = = −1 ) lastGreaterlScanPos = n } if( lastSigScanPos = = −1) lastSigScanPos = nfirstSigScanPos = n } } signHidden = (lastSigScanPos − firstSigScanPos >3 && !cu_transquant_bypass_flag ) if( lastGreaterlScanPos != −1 )coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag[ lastGreaterlScanPos ] for( n = 15; n >=0; n− − ) { xC = ( xS << 2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ][ scanIdx ][ n ][ 0 ] yC =( yS << 2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ][ scanIdx ][ n ][ 1 ] if(significant_coeff_flag[ xC ][ yC ] && ( !sign_data_hiding_flag | |!signHidden | | n != firstSigScanPos )) coeff_sign_flag[ n ] }numSigCoeff = 0 sumAbsLevel = 0 for( n= 15; n >= 0; n− − ) { xC = ( xS<< 2 ) + ScanOrder[ 2 ][ scanIdx ][ n ][ 0 ] yC = ( yS << 2 ) +ScanOrder[ 2 ][ scanIdx ][ n ][ 1 ] if( significant_coeff_flag[ xC ][ yC] ) { baseLevel = 1 + coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag[ n ] +coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag[ n ] if( baseLevel = = (( numSigCoeff < 8) ? ( (n = = lastGreater1ScanPos) ? 3:2 ) : 1 ) )coeff_abs_level_remaining[ n ] TransCoeffLevel[ x0 ] [ y0 ] [ cIdx ] [xC ] [ yC ] = ( coeff_abs_level_remaining[ n ] + baseLevel) * ( 1 − 2 *coeff_sign_flag[ n ] ) if( sign_data_hiding_flag && signHidden ) {sumAbsLevel += ( coeff_abs_level_remaining[ n ] + baseLevel) if( n = =firstSigScanPos && (( sumAbsLevel % 2) == 1))TransCoeffLevel[x0][y0][cIdx][xC][yC] = −TransCoeflLevel[x0][y0][cIdx][xC][yC] } numSigCoeff++  } } }  }

The syntax indicates that the level of the transformation coefficient iscomposed of coeff_abs_level_remaining and baseLevel, wherein baseLevelis composed of1+coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag[n]+coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag[n]. 1is used, as at this location (or at the time where the levels arereconstructed in the decoder) the syntax element issignificant_coeff_flag=1. “First set” would then be the TU code (Ricecode with parameterization equal to 0)—from this the first 3 syntaxelements are formed. “Second set” then forms the syntax elementcoeff_abs_level_remaining.

As the boundary is shifted between “first” and “second set” the maximumvalue is either defined by coeff_abs_greater1_flag,coeff_abs_greater2_flag or by significant_coeff_flag, hence the branchesdepending on the syntax elements in the table.

The above settings of the function parameters are still motivated alittle in the following.g(f) forms the sum of the neighboring coefficients and using the resulta context and a desymbolization parameter are derived, wherein a latermodification may be executed depending on the spatial position.g(x) acquires one single value. This value corresponds to the result ofthe function f(x). Knowing this, the context selection and also theparameterization of the Rice parameter may be derived.significant_coeff_flag: As h may itself be a function of x, f(x) or anyother function may be chained again and again. Function f(x) withw_(i)−1 for all positions in the right hand 4×4 sub-block, t=1 and h afunction which is configured just like f(x) but inverted, so that in theend the value 0 or 1 results, i.e. h(x)=min(1, f(x)).

Equivalently, for the second entry this is applied to the bottom 4×4sub-block. Then, prevCsbf=h_(o)+2×h₁, wherein prefCsbf may also be afunction h within f(x).

If t=∞ is set, the values of the syntax element coded_sub_block_flag maybe derived. Thus, a value between 0 and including 3 is acquired as aresult for the outermost f(x). The parameter n for g(x) would theneither be (xP+yP), xP, yP, or (0,0). If f(x)=0 results, thenn=(xP+yP,xP+yP+3), for f(x)=l n=(yP,yP+1) results, for f(x)=2n=(xP,xP+1) results, and for f(x)=3 n=(0,0) results. So to speak, f(x)may be evaluated directly in order to determine n. The remainingformulae above merely describe an adaption depending on luma/chroma anda further dependency on the global position and scan. In case of a pure4×4 block, f(x) may be configured so that the value for prevCsbf=4 (mayalso be different) and thus the mapping table may be reproduced.

coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag: Here, the evaluation of the sub-blocks issimilar, wherein only the preceding sub-block is evaluated. The resultis, e.g. 1 or 2 (it only has to be two different values), wherein t=2.This corresponds to the selection of a base index depending on alreadydecoded levels in the preceding sub-block. The direct dependency on thelevels located within the sub-block may thus be acquired. Effectively,switching on by one index is executed when a 0 was decoded (limited to 3starting by 1) and as soon as a 1 was decoded it is set to 0. If thearrangement is not considered, parameterization may be executed asfollows, starting from 0. w_(i)=1 for all levels in the same sub-blockand t=3, i.e. f(x) provides the number of levels withcoeff_abs_greater1_flag=1. For a further function f(x) t=2, i.e. thenumber of positions with an encoded syntax elementcoeff_abs_greater1_flag. The first function is limited, i.e.h₀=f(x)=min(f₀(x),2) and the second function is limited withh₁=f(x)=max(f₁(x),1). All of this chained with a delta function (0 ifh₁=1, h₀ otherwise). For coeff_abs_greater2_flag only the derivation ofthe set is used (w_(i) is set to 0 for the chained inner function).coeff_abs_level_remaining: The selection is only limited to the currentsub-block and n is derived as described above.

With regard to the just outlined embodiment, the following is noted. Inparticular, in compliance with the above description, differentpossibilities exist with regard to the definition of the template: thetemplate could be a moving template, the position of which is determineddepending on the position of the current coefficient 206. The outline ofsuch an exemplary moving template is depicted in FIG. 13 with a dashedline 208, The template is composed of the current sub-block, withinwhich the current coefficient 206 is located, the neighboring sub-blocksto the right and below the current sub-block, as well as the one or moresub-blocks which immediately precede the current sub-block in thesub-block scan 202 or any of the sub-block scans 202 if there areseveral of them among which one is selectable using a scan index asexplained above. As an alternative, the template 208 may simplyencompass all transform coefficients 12 of block 10.

In the above example, there are further different possibilities forselecting the values of h and n. These values may, accordingly, setdifferently. This is somehow also true with respect to as far as thoseweights are concerned which are set to one. Same may be set to anothernon-zero value. They do not even have to be equal to each other. As w₁is multiplied with h(x_(i)), the same product value may be achieved bydifferently setting non-zero w_(i)'s. Moreover, the symbolizationparameter does not have to be a Rice parameter or, differently speaking,the symbolization scheme is not restricted to be a Rice symbolizationscheme. As to the context index selection, reference is made to theabove description where it was already noted that a final context indexmay be obtained by adding the context index as obtained using functiong(f) to some offset index which is, for example specific for therespective type of syntax element, i.e. specific forsignificant_coeff_flag, coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag, andcoeff_abs_level_greater2_flag.

Although some aspects have been described in the context of anapparatus, it is clear that these aspects also represent a descriptionof the corresponding method, where a block or device corresponds to amethod step or a feature of a method step. Analogously, aspectsdescribed in the context of a method step also represent a descriptionof a corresponding block or item or feature of a correspondingapparatus. Some or all of the method steps may be executed by (or using)a hardware apparatus, like for example, a microprocessor, a programmablecomputer or an electronic circuit. In some embodiments, some one or moreof the most important method steps may be executed by such an apparatus.

Depending on certain implementation requirements, embodiments of theinvention can be implemented in hardware or in software. Theimplementation can be performed using a digital storage medium, forexample a floppy disk, a DVD, a Blu-Ray, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM,an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable controlsignals stored thereon, which cooperate (or are capable of cooperating)with a programmable computer system such that the respective method isperformed. Therefore, the digital storage medium may be computerreadable.

Some embodiments according to the invention comprise a data carrierhaving electronically readable control signals, which are capable ofcooperating with a programmable computer system, such that one of themethods described herein is performed.

Generally, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as acomputer program product with a program code, the program code beingoperative for performing one of the methods when the computer programproduct runs on a computer. The program code may for example be storedon a machine readable carrier.

Other embodiments comprise the computer program for performing one ofthe methods described herein, stored on a machine readable carrier.

In other words, an embodiment of the inventive method is, therefore, acomputer program having a program code for performing one of the methodsdescribed herein, when the computer program runs on a computer.

A further embodiment of the inventive methods is, therefore, a datacarrier (or a digital storage medium, or a computer-readable medium)comprising, recorded thereon, the computer program for performing one ofthe methods described herein. The data carrier, the digital storagemedium or the recorded medium are typically tangible and/ornon-transitionary.

A further embodiment of the inventive method is, therefore, a datastream or a sequence of signals representing the computer program forperforming one of the methods described herein. The data stream or thesequence of signals may for example be configured to be transferred viaa data communication connection, for example via the Internet.

A further embodiment comprises a processing means, for example acomputer, or a programmable logic device, configured to or adapted toperform one of the methods described herein

A further embodiment comprises a computer having installed thereon thecomputer program for performing one of the methods described herein.

A further embodiment according to the invention comprises an apparatusor a system configured to transfer (for example, electronically oroptically) a computer program for performing one of the methodsdescribed herein to a receiver. The receiver may, for example, be acomputer, a mobile device, a memory device or the like. The apparatus orsystem may, for example, comprise a file server for transferring thecomputer program to the receiver

in some embodiments, a programmable logic device (for example a fieldprogrammable gate array) may be used to perform some or all of thefunctionalities of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, afield programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor inorder to perform one of the methods described herein, Generally, themethods are performed by any hardware apparatus.

While this invention has been described in terms of several advantageousembodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents whichfall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted thatthere are many alternative ways of implementing the methods andcompositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that thefollowing appended claims be interpreted as including all suchalterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the truespirit and scope of the present invention.

1-30. (canceled)
 31. A decoder for decoding a data stream comprising anencoded video including information related to a plurality of transformcoefficients associated with the encoded video, the decoder comprising:a context adaptive entropy decoder configured for, for a currenttransform coefficient, entropy decoding, using a processor, a firstsymbol based on a context, wherein the context is determined based on anoperation involving first previously decoded information; a desymbolizerconfigured for, for the current transform coefficient, mapping a secondsymbol to a transform coefficient level based on a symbolizationparameter, wherein the symbolization parameter is determined based onthe operation involving second previously decoded information; and apicture decoder configured for applying, using a processor, predictivecoding based on a prediction residual signal to reconstruct a block of apicture of the video, wherein the prediction residual signal isassociated with the first symbol and the transform coefficient level.32. The decoder according to claim 31, wherein the decoder is configuredfor determining the first previously decoded information based on aspatial arrangement of the current transform coefficient relative to theplurality of transform coefficients.
 33. The decoder according to claim31, further comprising an extractor configured for, using the processor,extracting the second symbol of the current transform coefficient fromthe data stream, and wherein the transform coefficient level is greaterthan a maximum level associated with the first symbol.
 34. The decoderaccording to claim 33, wherein the extractor is further configured forextracting, from the data stream, information on a position of a lastnon-zero transform coefficient among transform coefficients of atransform coefficient block along a scan order, wherein the plurality oftransform coefficients encompasses the transform coefficients of thetransform coefficient block from the last non-zero transform coefficientalong the scan order to a DC transform coefficient of the transformcoefficient block.
 35. The decoder according to claim 34, wherein thedesymbolizer is further configured for using a first symbolizationscheme for mapping of the first symbol related to the last non-zerotransform coefficient to a level less than or equal to the maximumlevel, wherein a zero level does not apply for the last transformcoefficient.
 36. The decoder according to claim 34, wherein the contextadaptive entropy decoder is further configured for entropy decoding thefirst symbol related to the last non-zero transform coefficient using acontext that is different from a context used in entropy decoding thefirst symbol related to a transform coefficient other than the lastnon-zero transform coefficient.
 37. The decoder according to claim 33,wherein the decoder is configured for decoding the plurality oftransform coefficients from the data stream in two scans, wherein thecontext adaptive entropy decoder is configured for entropy decoding thefirst symbol in an order corresponding to a first scan of the transformcoefficients, the decoder comprises an extractor configured forsubsequently extracting, from the data stream, the second symbolsrelated to transform coefficients for which the first symbols is mappedonto the maximum level, in an order corresponding to a second scan ofthe transform coefficients.
 38. The decoder according to claim 33,wherein the decoder is configured for decoding the plurality oftransform coefficients from the data stream sequentially in one scan,wherein the second symbols are interspersed within the data streambetween first symbols, and wherein the context adaptive entropy decoderand the extractor are configured for, for each transform coefficient ina scan order of the one scan, extracting, from the data stream, thesecond symbols related to respective transform coefficients for whichthe first symbols are mapped onto the maximum level immediatelysubsequent to the context adaptive entropy decoder's entropy decoding ofthe first symbols of the respective transform coefficients for which thefirst symbols are mapped onto the maximum level.
 39. The decoderaccording to claim 33, wherein the extractor is configured forextracting the second symbol from the data stream using entropy decodingbased on a fixed probability distribution.
 40. The decoder according toclaim 33, wherein the desymbolizer is configured for mapping the firstsymbol to a transform coefficient level less than or equal to themaximum level associated with the first symbol based on a truncatedunary binarization scheme.
 41. The decoder according to claim 31,wherein the desymbolizer is further configured for mapping the secondsymbol based on a Rice code.
 42. An encoder for encoding into a datastream information related to a plurality of transform coefficientsassociated with a video, the encoder comprising: a picture encoderconfigured for applying, using a processor, predictive coding on a blockof a picture of the video to obtain a prediction residual signal relatedto the block; a context adaptive entropy encoder configured for, for acurrent transform coefficient related to the prediction residual signal,entropy encoding, using a processor, a first symbol into the data streamusing a context, wherein the context is determined based on an operationinvolving first previously encoded information; and a symbolizerconfigured for mapping, using a processor, a transform coefficient levelof the current transform coefficient to a second symbol based on asymbolization parameter, wherein the symbolization parameter isdetermined based on the operation involving second previously encodedinformation.
 43. The encoder according to claim 42, wherein the encoderis configured for determining the first previously encoded informationbased on a spatial arrangement of the current transform coefficientrelative to the plurality of transform coefficients.
 44. The encoderaccording to claim 42, wherein the transform coefficient level isgreater than a maximum level associated with the first symbol.
 45. Theencoder according to claim 44, wherein the encoder is further configuredfor inserting, into the data stream, information on a position of a lastnon-zero transform coefficient among transform coefficients of atransform coefficient block along a scan order, wherein the plurality oftransform coefficients encompasses the transform coefficients of thetransform coefficient block from the last non-zero transform coefficientalong the scan order to a DC transform coefficient of the transformcoefficient block.
 46. The encoder according to claim 45, wherein thesymbolizer is further configured for using a first symbolization schemefor mapping of the first symbol related to the last non-zero transformcoefficient to the transform coefficient level, wherein a zero leveldoes not apply for the last transform coefficient.
 47. The encoderaccording to claim 45, wherein the context adaptive entropy encoder isconfigured for entropy encoding the first symbol related to the lastnon-zero transform coefficient using a context that is different from acontext used in entropy decoding the first symbol related to a transformcoefficient other than the last non-zero transform coefficient.
 48. Theencoder according to claim 44, wherein the encoder is configured toencoding the plurality of transform coefficients from the data stream intwo scans, wherein the context adaptive entropy encoder is configuredfor entropy encoding the first symbol in an order corresponding to afirst scan of the transform coefficients, the encoder comprises aninserter configured for subsequently inserting into the data stream thesecond symbols related to transform coefficients for which the firstsymbols are mapped onto the maximum level, in an order corresponding toa second scan of the transform coefficients.
 49. The encoder accordingto claim 42, further comprising an inserter configured for inserting thesecond symbol into the data stream using entropy encoding based on afixed probability distribution.
 50. The encoder according to claim 44,wherein the symbolizer is configured for mapping the first symbol to atransform coefficient level less than or equal to the maximum levelbased on a truncated unary binarization scheme.
 51. The encoderaccording to claim 41, wherein the symbolizer is configured for mappingthe second symbol based on a Rice code.
 52. A non-transitorycomputer-readable medium for storing information related to a pluralityof transform coefficients associated with an encoded video, comprising:a data stream stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, thedata stream comprising encoded information related to first and secondsymbols of a current transform coefficient, wherein the first and secondsymbols are processed based on instructions including: for a currenttransform coefficient, entropy decoding a first symbol based on acontext, wherein the context is determined based on an operationinvolving first previously decoded information; for the currenttransform coefficient, mapping a second symbol to a transformcoefficient level based on a symbolization parameter, wherein thesymbolization parameter is determined based on the operation involvingsecond previously decoded information; and applying predictive codingbased on a prediction residual signal to reconstruct a block of apicture of the video, wherein the prediction residual signal isassociated with the first symbol and the transform coefficient level.53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 52,wherein the instructions further include determining the firstpreviously decoded information based on a spatial arrangement of thecurrent transform coefficient relative to the plurality of transformcoefficients.
 54. The non-transitory computer-readable medium accordingto claim 52, the instructions further include extracting the secondsymbol of the current transform coefficient from the data stream, andwherein the transform coefficient level is greater than a maximum levelassociated with the first symbol.
 55. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 54, wherein the instructionsfurther include mapping the first symbol to a transform coefficientlevel less than or equal to the maximum level based on a truncated unarybinarization scheme.
 56. The non-transitory computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 52, wherein the mapping of the second symbol is basedon a Rice code.
 57. A method for decoding a data stream comprising anencoded video including information related to a plurality of transformcoefficients associated with the encoded video, the method comprising:entropy decoding, for a current transform coefficient, a first symbolusing a context, wherein the context is determined based on an operationinvolving first previously decoded information; mapping, for the currenttransform coefficient, the second symbol to a transform coefficientlevel based on a symbolization parameter, wherein the symbolizationparameter is determined based on the operation involving secondpreviously decoded information; and applying predictive coding based ona prediction residual signal to reconstruct a block of a picture of thevideo, wherein the prediction residual signal is associated with thefirst symbol and the transform coefficient level.
 58. The methodaccording to claim 57, further comprising determining the firstpreviously decoded information based on a spatial arrangement of thecurrent transform coefficient relative to the plurality of transformcoefficients.
 59. The method according to claim 57, wherein thetransform coefficient level is greater than a maximum level associatedwith the first symbol.
 60. The method according to claim 57, wherein themapping of the second symbol is based on a Rice code.